STORIES  L 

HT 


LIBRARY 

SAN  DIEGO 


< 


11 

n 

X  x 


STORIES  OF  THE  SEA. 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 


"  A  nhout  hurst  from   Marbled  throat,  and   a  si^ht  mot  my  eyes   that   causod 
the  blood  tu  ru»li  hi  u  torrent  through  my  heart," — Page  55. 


STORIES  OF  THE  SEA: 


BEING 


NARRATIVES  OF  ADVENTURE, 


SELECTED  FROM  THE  '•  SEA  TALES  " 


BY  JAMES  FENIMORE  C00PFJ1. 


A  BOOK  FOR  BOYS. 


ILLUSTRATED   FROM   DRAWINGS   BY   DARLEY. 


NEW  YORK: 
JAMES  G.  GREGORY,  PUBLISHER, 

4C  Walker  Street. 

HDCOCLXTLL. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1862,  by 

JAMES  G.  GREGORY, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Southern  District  of  New  York. 


O.  A.  ALVOED,  8TEREOTYPER  AND  PEINTEK. 


NOTE. 

It  was  believed  that  the  leading  incidents  of  Mr.  Cooper's  Sea 
Novels,  when  freed  from  those  accessory  details  that  belonged 
to  the  general  story,  would  be  found  to  be  complete  narratives  in 
themselves,  which,  from  their  stirring  action  and  graphic  interest, 
would  prove  highly  entertaining  to  young  readers.  With  this 
view  this  book  has  been  compiled,  and  in  pursuance  of  the  plan, 
the  editor  has  been  enabled  to  crowd  into  one  small  volume,  a 
large  number  of  the  most  spirited  and  absorbing  incidents  in 
Mr.  Cooper's  famous  tales  of  the  sea.  The  sketches,  with  the 
exception  of  the  introductory  paragraphs,  are  given  in  the  author's 
own  language,  but  necessarily  condensed.  The  books  from  which 
they  were  drawn  are,  "  The  Red  Rover,"  "  The  Water-Witch," 
"  The  Pilot."  "Afloat  and  Ashore,"  "Miles  Wallingford,"  and  "The 
Crater."  The  work  forms  a  companion  to  one  entitled  "  Stories 
of  the  Woods." 

New  York,  1862. 


CO^TE^TTS. 


Page 

the  wreck  of  the  dawn 9 

the  bed  rover 62 

fid's  story 63 

the   battle 78 

the  water-witch 99 

the  combat 102 

THE    NIGHT    ATTACK l"2:i 

THE    SHIP    <>N    FIKE 140 

THE    EE8CUE ...  162 

ADVENTURES   IX  THE   PACIFIC 179 

LONG  TOM    COFFIN   AND  THE    A  KIEL 229 

THE  WHALE 232 

THE  FIGHT 243 

THE    \\  BECK   OF  THE   ARIEL 25."} 

THE  CRATER;    OR,  THE   CRCSOES  OF  THE  PACIFIC 272 


STORIES  OF  THE  SEA. 


THE  WRECK  OF  "THE  DAWN." 

The  story  of  the  remarkable  escapes  and  adven- 
tures of  the  crew  of  the  "  Dawn"  is  told  in  Mr.  Feni- 
more  Cooper's  admirable  romance  of  the  sea,  called 
tk  Miles  Wallingford."  The  "Dawn"  was  a  merchant 
vessel,  owned  by  and  under  command  of  Captain  Miles 
"WaUingford,  on  a  voyage  from  New  York  to  Ham- 
burgh. The  various  adventures  of  the  voyage  were 
very  striking,  some  of  them  quite  thrilling,  and 
others  amusing ;  but  it  is  our  purpose  to  give  you 
only  the  account  of  the  wreck,  which  occurred  on  the 
coast  of  Ireland.  The  period  of  the  incidents  of  the 
story  was  a  short  time  before  our  war  with  Great 
Britain,  in  eighteen  hundred  and  twelve.  France 
and  England  were  then  at  war,  and  England,  having 
great  need  of  sailors  to  man  her  war-ships,  was  in 
the  habit,  as  no  doubt  you  have  read  in  the  histories 
of  the  times,  of  boarding  American  vessels,  and  for- 
cibly taking  from  (hem  such  of  the  sailors  as  were 
supposed  to  be  of  English  birth.  Our  government 
protested  very  energetically  against  this  coarse,  bat 


10  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

the  British  ministers  persisted  in  the  practice,  until 
at  last  the  American  Congress  resolved  that  this  in- 
sulting conduct  could  not  be  submitted  to  any  longer, 
and  declared  war  against  Great  Britain.  Well,  the 
Dawn,  as  usual,  was  visited  by  an  English  man-of- 
war,  a  number  of  her  seamen  impressed,  and  then  on 
the  ground  that  her  cargo,  which  consisted  of  sugar 
raised  on  the  French  West  India  islands,  was  forfeit 
to  the  English  crown,  was  seized  as  a  prize,  a  prize- 
crew  placed  on  board,  and  ordered  into  Plymouth 
harbor. 

But  Captain  Wallingford,  her  mate,  Moses  Marble, 
and  two  negroes,  Neb  and  Diogenes,  all  that  remained 
of  the  original  crew,  were  so  far  unwilling  to  be  car- 
ried into  a  foreign  port,  with  a  chance  of  having 
the  vessel  and  cargo  declared  a  prize  by  the  courts — 
for,  although  the  vessel  was  sent  into  port  as  a  prize, 
the  law  courts  had  to  investigate  the  case  and  decide 
whether  the  seizure  was  lawful — that  they  got  to- 
gether and  laid  a  scheme  for  retaking  the  vessel.  It 
was  a  very  ingenious  plan,  and  succeeded  admirably. 
They  dressed  up  a  block  of  wood  like  a  man,  secretly 
dropped  it  in  the  sea,  and  then  raised  a  great  cry  of 
vt  man  overboard !"  In  an  instant  a  boat  was  manned  ; 
our  American  sailors  managing  to  appear  very  busy 
on  the  deck  of  the  ship,  into  the  boat  hurried  a  good 
part  of  the  British  crew,  and  off  they  rowed  in  search 
o['  the  supposed  sailor.  It  did  not  take  long,  then, 
for  Wallingford  and  his  men  to  overcome  the  rest  of 
the  prize-crew,  and  obtain  command  of  their  ship. 
You  may  imagine  the  rage  of  the  English   seamen 


... 

STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  11 

when  they  discovered  the  trick  that  had  been  played 
upon  them.  But  there  was  no  help  for  it,  and  the 
best  they  could  do  was  to  make  terms  with  the 
Americans,  to  receive  their  fellow-seamen  into  the 
boat,  and  to  be  supplied  with  water  and  provisions, 
which  Captain  Wallingford  passed  to  them  over  the 
side  of  the  ship.  Luckily  a  ship  was  in  the  offing, 
which  picked  them  up. 

After  this  the  Dawn,  having  now  only  four  men  to 
work  her,  had  a  number  of  adventures  and  narrow 
escapes  ;  once  falling  into  the  hands  of  a  French  pri- 
vateer, from  which  Miles  Wallingford  as  ingeniously 
rescued  her,  as  in  the  case  of  the  English  prize-crew ; 
at  other  times  being  hotly  pursued  by  English  frigates  ; 
until,  at  last,  in  attempting  to  run  up  the  Irish  Chan- 
nel, between  Ireland  and  Scotland,  during  a  very 
heavy  gale,  was  obliged  to  seek  anchoring  ground  on 
the  coast  of  Ireland.  We  shall  now  let  Miles  Wall- 
ingford  tell  his  story  in  his  own  words: 

I  never  knew  precisely  the  point  on  the  coast  of 
Ireland  where  we  anchored.  It  was  somewhere  be- 
tween Strangford  and  Dundrum  Bay;  though  the 
name  of  the  headland  which  gave  us  a  sort  of  pro- 
tection, I  did  not  learn.  In  this  part  of  the  island, 
the  caasl  trends  North  and  South,  generally  ;  1  hough 
at  the  place  where  we  anchored,  its  direction  was 
nearly  from  north-north-east  to  south-south-west — 
which,  in  the  early  part  of  the  gale,  was  as  close  as 
might  be  the  course  in  which  the  wind  blew.     At  the 

moment  we  broughl  up,  the  wind  had  hauled  a  little 
further  to  the  northward,  giving  us  a  better  lee;  but, 


12  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

to  my  great  regret,  Michael  (a  fisherman  who  had 
piloted  them  to  this  spot),  had  scarcely  left  us, 
when  it  shifted  to  due  north-east,  making  a  fair  rake 
of  the  Channel.  This  left  us  very  little  of  a  lee — the 
point  ahead  of  us  being  no  great  matter,  and  we 
barely  within  it.  I  consulted  such  maps  as  I  had, 
and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  we  were  off  the 
county  Down,  a  part  of  the  kingdom  that  was  at  least 
civilized,  and  where  we  should  be  apt  to  receive  good 
treatment,  in  the  event  of  being  wrecked. 

It  was  past  noon  when  the  Dawn  anchored ;  and 
the  wind  got  more  to  the  eastward,  about  half  an 
hour  afterward.  It  was  out  of  the  question  to  think 
of  getting  under  way  again,  with  so  strong  a  wind, 
and  with  our  feeble  crew.  Had  it  been  perfectly 
smooth  water,  and  had  there  been  neither  tide,  nor 
air,  it  would  have  taken  us  half  a  day,  at  least,  to  get 
out  two  bowers.  It  was  folly,  therefore,  to  think  of 
it,  situated  as  we  were.  It  only  remained  to  ride  out 
the  gale  in  the  best  manner  we  could,  but  I  had  great 
forebodings  of  evil  from  the  commencement  of  the 
tempest.  Nothing  occurred  for  several  hours,  except 
that  the  gale  increased  sensibly  in  violence.  Like  an 
active  disease,  it  was  fast  coming  to  a  crisis.  There 
Mas  a  little  relaxation  of  the  force  of  the  gale  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  but,  with  the  return  of  day,  came 
the  winds  howling  down  upon  us,  in  a  way  that  an- 
nounced a  more  than  common  storm.  All  hands  of 
us  were  now  up,  and  paying  every  attention  to  the 
vessel.  My  greatest  concern  had  been  lest  some  of 
the  sails  should  get  adrift,  for  they  had  been  furled 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  13 

by  few  and  fatigued  men.  This  did  not  happen, 
however,  our  gaskets  and  lashings  doing  all  of  their 
duty.  We  got  our  breakfasts,  therefore,  in  the  ordi- 
nary way,  and  Marble  and  myself  went  and  stood  on 
the  forecastle,  to  watch  the  signs  of  the  times,  like 
faithful  guardians  who  were  anxious  to  get  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  danger. 

It  was  wonderful  how  the  ship  pitched!  Fre- 
quently her  Aurora  was  completely  submerged,  and 
tons  of  water  would  come  in  upon  the  forecastle, 
washing  entirely  aft  at  the  next  send,  so  that  our 
only  means  of  keeping  above  water  was  to  stand  on 
the  wmdlass-bitts,  or  to  get  upon  the  heart  of  the 
main-stay.  Dry  we  were  not,  nor  did  we  tbink  of 
attempting  to  be  so,  but  such  expedients  were  neces- 
sary to  enable  us  to  remain  stationary  ;  often  to  ena- 
ble us  to  breathe.  It  was  quite  clear  the  fishermen 
knew  very  little  about  finding  a  proper  berth  for  a 
ship,  and  that  we  might  pretty  nearly  as  well  have 
brought  up  in  the  middle  of  St.  George's  Channel, 
could  our  ground-tackle  reach  the  bottom,  as  to  have 
brought  up  where  we  were. 

Just  about  nine  o'clock,  Marble  and  I  got  near  each 
other  on  the  file-rail,  and  held  a  consultation  on  the 
subject  of  our  prospects.  Although  we  both  clung 
to  the  same  topsail-sheet,  we  were  obliged  to  hollo 
to  make  ourselves  heard,  the  howling  of  the  wind 
through  the  rigging  converting  the  hamper  into  a 
sort  of  tremendous  Eoliau  harp,  while  the  roar  of 
the  water  kept  up  a  species  of  bass  accompaniment  to 
this  music  of  the  ocean.     Marble  was  the  one  who 


14  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

had  brought  about  this  communication,  and  he  was 
the  first  to  speak. 

"I  say,  Miles,"  he  called  out,  his  mouth  within 
three  feet  of  my  ear—"  she  jumps  about  like  a  whale 
with  a  harpoon  in  it !  I've  been  afraid  she'd  jerk  the 
stem  out  of  her." 

"  Xot  much  fear  of  that,  Moses — my  great  concern 
is  that  starboard  bower-cable;  it  has  a  good  deal 
more  strain  on  it  than  the  larboard,  and  you  can  see 
how  the  strands  are  stretched." 

"  Ay,  ay — 'tis  generalizing  its  strength,  as  one  may 
say.  Spose  we  clap  the  helm  aport,  and  try  the 
effects  of  a  sheer  ?" 

"  I've  thought  of  that ;  as  there  is  a  strong  tide  go- 
ing, it  may  possibly  answer" — 

These  words  were  scarcely  out  of  my  mouth,  when 
three  seas  of  enormous  height  came  rolling  down 
upon  us,  like  three  great  roistering  companions  in  a 
crowd  of  sullen  men,  the  first  of  which  raised  the 
Dawn's  bows  so  high  in  the  air,  as  to  cause  us  both 
to  watch  the  result  in  breathless  silence.  The  plunge 
into  the  trough  was  in  a  just  proportion  to  the  toss 
into  the  air ;  and  I  felt  a  surge,  as  if  something  gave 
way  under  the  violent  strain  that  succeeded.  The 
torrent  of  water  that  came  on  the  forecastle  prevented 
any  thing  from  being  seen;  but  again  the  bows  rose, 
again  they  sunk,  and  then  the  ship  seemed  easier. 

"We  are  all  adrift,  Miles!"  Marble  shouted,  lean- 
in--  forward  to  be  heard.  "Both  bowers  have 
snapped  like  thread,  and  here  we  go,  head-foremost, 
in  for  the  land !" 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  15 

All  this  was  true  enough !  The  cables  had  parted, 
and  the  ship's  head  was  falling  off  fast  from  the  gale, 
like  the  steed  that  has  slipped  his  bridle,  before  he 
commences  his  furious  and  headlong  career.  I  looked 
round  for  the  negroes  ;  but  Neb  was  already  at  the 
wheel.  That  noble  fellow,  true  as  steel,  had  per- 
ceived the  accident  as  soon  as  any  of  us,  and  he 
sprang  to  the  very  part  of  the  vessel  where  he  was 
most  needed.  A  motion  of  my  hand  ordered  him 
to  put  the  helm  hard  up,  and  the  answering  sign  let 
me  know  that  I  was  obeyed.  We  could  do  no  more 
just  then,  but  the  result  was  awaited  in  awful  expec- 
tation. 

The  Dawn's  bows  fell  off  until  the  ship  lay  broad- 
side to  the  gale,  which  made  her  reel  until  her  lee 
lower  yard-arms  nearly  dipped.  Then  she  overcame 
the  cauldron  of  water  thai  was  boiling  around  her, 
and  began  to  draw  heavily  ahead.  Three  seas  swept 
athwart  her  decks,  before  she  minded  her  helm  in  the 
least,  carrying  with  them  every  thing  that  was  not 
mosl  firmly* lashed,  or  which  had  not  animal  life  to 
direct  its  movements,  away  to  leeward.  They  swept 
off  the  hen-coops,  and  ripped  four  or  five  water-casks 
from  their  lashings,  even,  as  if  the  latter  had  been 
pack-thread.  The  camboose-house  went  also,  at  the 
last  of  these  terrific  seas  ;  and  nothing  saved  the 
camboose  itself,  but  it s  great  weight,  added  t<>  the 
strength  of  its  fastenings.  In  a  word,  little  was  left, 
that  could  very  well  go,  but  the  launch,  the  gripes  of 
which  fortunately  held  on. 

By  the  time  this  desolation  was  completed,  the  ship 


16  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

began  to  fall  off,  and  her  movement  through  the 
Avater  became  very  perceptible.  At  first,  she  clashed 
in  toward  the  land,  running,  I  make  no  doubt,  quite 
half  a  mile  obliquely  in  that  direction,  ere  she  got 
fairly  before  the  wind :  a  course  which  carried  her 
nearly  in  a  line  with  the  coast.  Marble  and  myself 
now  got  aft  without  much  trouble,  and  put  the  helm 
a  little  to  starboard,  with  a  view  to  edge  off  to 
the  passage  as  far  as  possible.  The  wind  blew  so 
nearly  down  channel,  that  there  would  have  been  no 
immediate  danger,  had  we  an  offing ;  but  the  ship 
had  not  driven  before  the  gale  more  than  three  or 
four  hours,  when  we  made  land  ahead ;  the  coast 
trending  in  this  part  of  the  island  nearly  north  and 
south.  Marble  suggested  the  prudence  of  taking 
time  by  the  forelock,  and  of  getting  the  main-top-sail 
on  the  ship,  to  force  her  off  the  land,  the  coast  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Dublin  lying  under  our  lee  bow. 
We  had  taken  the  precaution  to  close-reef  every 
thing  before  it  was  furled,  and  I  went  aloft  myself  to 
lower  this  sail.  If  I  had  formed  a  very  respectful 
opinion  of  the  power  of  the  gale  while  on  deck,  that 
opinion  was  materially  heightened  when  I  came  to 
feel  its  gusts  on  the  main-top-sail  yard.  It  was  not 
an  easy  matter  to  hold  on  at  all ;  and  to  work  re- 
quired great  readiness  and  strength.  Nevertheless 
I  got  the  sail  loose,  and  then  I  went  down  and  aided 
Marble  and  the  cook  to  drag  home  the  sheets.  Home 
they  could  not  be  dragged  by  us,  notwithstanding  we 
got  up  a  luff;  but  we  made  the  sail  stand  reasonably 
well. 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  17 

The  ship  immediately  felt  the  effect  of  even  this 
rag  of  canvas.  She  drove  ahead  at  a  prodigious 
rate,  running,  I  make  no  question,  some  eleven  or 
twelve  knots,  under  the  united  power  collected  by 
her  hamper  and  this  one  fragment  of  a  sail.  Her 
drift  was  unavoidably  great,  and  I  thought  the  cur- 
rent sucked  her  in  toward  the  land;  but,  on  the 
whole,  she  kept  at  about  the  same  distance  from  the 
6hore,  foaming  along  it,  much  as  we  had  seen  the 
frigate  do  the  day  before.  At  the  rate  we  were  go- 
ing, twelve  or  fifteen  hours  would  carry  us  down  to 
the  passage  between  Holy  Head  and  Ireland,  when 
we  should  get  more  sea-room,  on  account  of  the  land's 
trending  again  to  the  westward. 

Long,  long  hours  did  Marble  and  I  watch  the  pro- 
gress of  our  ship  that  day  and  the  succeeding  night, 
each  of  us  taking  our  tricks  at  the  wheel,  and  doing 
seaman's  duty,  as  well  as  that  of  mate  and  master. 
All  this  time,  the  vessel  was  dashing  furiously  out 
toward  the  Atlantic,  which  she  reached  ere  the  morn- 
ing of  the  succeeding  day. 

A  wild  scene  lay  around  us,  at  the  return  of  light. 
The  Atlantic  resembled  a  chaos  of  waters,  the  por- 
tions of  the  rolling  sheet  that  were  not  white  with 
foam,  looking  green  and  angry.  The  clouds  hid  the 
sun,  and  the  gale  seemed  to  be  fast  coming  to  its 
height.  At  ten,  we  drove  past  an  American,  with 
nothing  standing  but  his  foremast.  Like  us,  he  was 
running  oft*,  though  we  went  three  feet  to  his  two. 
Hall' an  hour  later,  we  had  tin;  awful  sighl  before  our 
eyes  of  witnessing  the  sudden  disappearance  of  an 
2 


18  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

English  brig.  She  was  lying-to,  directly  on  our 
course,  and  I  was  looking  at  her  from  the  windlass, 
trying  to  form  some  opinion  as  to  the  expediency  of 
our  luffing-to,  in  order  to  hold  our  own.  Of  a  sud- 
den this  brig  gave  a  plunge,  and  she  went  down  like 
a  porpoise  diving.  What  caused  this  disaster  I  never 
knew  ;  but  in  five  minutes  we  passed  as  near  as  pos- 
sible over  the  spot,  and  not  a  trace  of  her  was  to  be 
seen.  I  could  not  discover  so  much  as  a  handspike 
floating,  though  I  looked  with  intense  anxiety,  in  the 
hope  of  picking  up  some  fellow-creature  clinging  to  a 
spar.  As  for  stopping  to  examine,  one  Mho  did  not 
understand  the  language  might  as  well  hope  to  read 
the  German  character  on  a  mile-stone,  while  flying 
past  it  in  a  railroad  car. 

At  noon,  precisely,  away  went  our  fore-top-sail  out 
of  the  gaskets.  One  fastening  snapped  after  another, 
until  the  whole  sail  was  adrift.  The  tugs  that  this 
large  sheet  of  canvas  gave  upon  the  spars,  as  it 
shook  in  the  wind,  threatened  to  jerk  the  foremast 
out  of  the  ship.  They  lasted  about  three  minutes, 
when,  after  a  report  almost  as  loud  as  that  of  a  small 
piece  of  ordnance,  the  sail  split  in  ribands.  Ten  min- 
utes later,  our  main-top-sail  went.  This  sail  left  us  as 
it  might  be  bodily,  and  I  actually  thought  that  a  gun 
of  distress  was  fired  near  us,  by  some  vessel  that  was 
unseen.  The  bolt-rope  was  left  set ;  the  sheets,  ear- 
ings,  and  reef  points  all  holding  on,  the  cloth  tearing 
at  a  single  rent  around  the  four  sides  of  the  sail. 
The  scene  that  followed  I  scarcely  know  how  to  de- 
scribe.    The  torn  part  of  the  main-top-sail  flew  for- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  19 

ward,  and  caught  in  the  after  part  of  the  fore-top, 
where  it  stood  spread,  as  one  might  say,  held  by  the 
top,  cat-harpins,  rigging,  and  other  obstacles.     This 
was  the  feather  to  break  the   camel's   back.     Bolt 
after  bolt  of  the  fore-rigging  drew  or  broke,  each 
parting  with,  a  loud  report,  and   away  went  every 
thing  belonging  to  the  foremast  over  the  bows,  from 
the  deck  up.     The  main-top-mast  was  dragged  down 
by  this  fearful  pull,  and  that  brought  the  mizzen-top- 
gallant-mast    after   it.      The    pitching   of   so   much 
hamper  under  the  bows  of  the  ship,  while  her  after- 
masts  stood,  threw  the  stern  round,  in  spite  of  the 
manner   in   which   Marble    steered;    and    the    ship 
broached-to.     In   doing   this,   the   sea   made   a   fair 
breach  over  her,  sweeping  the  deck  of  even  the  launch 
and  camboose,  and  carrying  all  the  lee  bulwarks,  in 
the  waist,  with  them.     Neb  was  in  the  launch  at  the 
time,  hunting   for  some  article  kept   there;  and  the 
last  I  saw  of  the  poor  fellow,  he  was  standing  erect 
in  the  bows  of  the  boat,  as  the  latter  drove  over  the 
vessel's  side,  on  the  summit  of  a  wave,  like  a  bubble 
floating  in  a  furious  current.     Diogenes,  it  seems,  had 
that  moment  gone  to  his  camboose,  to  look  after  the 
plain  dinner  lie  was  trying  to  boil,  when  probably 
seizing  the  iron  as  the  mosl  solid   objeel    near  him,  lie 
was  carried  overboard  with  it,  and  never  reappeared. 
Marble  was   in  a  tolerably  sate    part    of  the  vessel,  at 
tiie  wheel,  and    he  kept  his  feet,  though   the  water 
rose  above  his  waist;    as  high,   indeed,  as  his  arms. 
As  for  myself,  I  was  saved  only  by  the  main-rigging, 
into  which  I  was  driven,  and  where  I  lodged. 


20  STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

I  could  not  but  admire  the  coolness  and  conduct  of 
Marble  even  at  that  terrific  moment !  In  the  first 
place,  he  put  the  helm  hard  down,  and  lashed  the 
wheel,  the  wisest  thing  that  could  be  done  by  men  in 
our  situation.  This  he  did  by  means  of  that  nautical 
instinct,  which  enables  a  seaman  to  act,  in  the  direst 
emergencies,  almost  without  reflection,  or,  as  one 
closes  his  eyes  to  avoid  danger  to  the  pupils.  Then 
he  gave  one  glance  at  the  state  of  things  in-board, 
running  forward  with  the  end  of  a  rope  to  throw  to 
Diogenes,  should  the  cook  rise  near  the  ship.  By  the 
time  he  was  satisfied  the  hope  of  doing  any  thing  in 
that  way  was  vain,  I  was  on  deck,  and  we  two  stood 
facing  each  other,  in  the  midst  of  the  scene  of  desola- 
tion and  ruin  that  was  around  us.  Marble  caught  my 
hand  with  a  look  that  spoke  as  plainly  as  words.  It 
told  me  the  joy  he  felt  at  seeing  I  was  spared,  his  de- 
termination to  stick  by  me  to  the  last ;  yet,  how  low 
were  his  hopes  of  ultimate  preservation  !  It  was  such 
a  look  as  any  man  would  be  glad  to  receive  from  a 
comrade  in  the  heat  of  battle ;  nevertheless,  it  was 
not  a  look  that  promised  victory. 

The  situation  of  the  ship  would  now  have  been 
much  better  than  it  had  been,  in  many  respects,  were 
it  not  for  the  wreck.  All  the  masts  forward  had  gone 
over  the  lee  bow,  and  would  have  lain  in  a  sufficiently 
favorable  situation  for  a  strong  crew  to  get  rid  of 
them  ;  but  in  our  case  we  were  compelled  to  let  things 
take  their  course.  It  is  true,  we  could  cut  away,  and 
this  we  began  to  do  pretty  freely,  but  the  lower  end 
of  the  foremast  lay  on  the  forecastle,  where  it  was 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  21 

grinding  every  thing  near  it  to  pieces,  with  the  heav- 
ing and  setting  of  the  waves.  All  the  bulwarks  in 
that  part  of  the  ship  threatened  soon  to  be  beaten 
down,  and  I  felt  afraid  the  cathead  would  be  torn 
violently  out  of  the  ship,  leaving  a  bad  leak.  Leaks 
enough  there  were,  as  it  was.  The  launch,  camboose, 
water-casks,  and  spare  spars,  in  driving  overboard, 
having  forced  out  timber  heads,  and  other  supports, 
in  a  way  to  split  the  plank  sheer,  which  let  in  the 
Mater  fast,  every  time  the  lee  gunwale  went  under. 
I  gave  up  my  cargo  from  the  first,  bringing  my  hopes 
down  as  low  as  the  saving  of  the  ship,  the  instant  I 
saw  the  state  of  the  upper  works. 

Marble  and  I  had  not  been  educated  in  a  school 
that  is  apt  to  despair.  As  for  my  mate,  had  he  found 
himself  on  a  plank  in  the  middle  of  the  Atlantic,  I  do 
believe  he  would  have  set  about  rigging  a  jury-mast, 
by  splitting  off  a  piece  of  the  hull  of  his  craft  and 
spreading  Ins  shirt  by  way  of  sail.  I  never  knew  a 
more  in-and-in-bred  seaman,  who,  when  one  resource 
failed,  invariably  set  about  the  next  besl  visible  expe- 
dient. We  were  at  a  loss,  however,  whether  to  make 
an  effort  to  get  rid  of  the  foremast,  or  not.  With  the 
exception  of  the  damages  it  did  on  the  forecastle,  it 
was  of  use  to  us,  keeping  the  ship's  bow  up  to  the 
wind,  and  making  better  weather  for  us  on  deck. 
The  after-masts  stauding,  while  those  forward  were 
gone,  had  the  effect  to  press  the  stern  of  the  vessel  to 
leeward,  while  this  support  in  the  water  prevented 
Ins-  bows  from  falling  oil"  and  we  rode  much  nearer 
to  the  wind  than  is  usual  with  a  ship  that  is  lying-to. 


22  BTOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

It  is  true  the  outer  end  of  the  fallen  spars  began  to 
drive  to  leeward  ;  and  acting  as  a  long  lever,  they 
were  gradually  working  the  broken  end  of  the  fore- 
mast athwart  the  forecastle,  ripping  and  tearing  away 
every  thing  on  the  gunwale,  and  threatening  the  foot 
of  the  mainstay.  This  made  it  desirable  to  be  rid  of 
the  wreck,  while  on  the  other  hand,  there  was  the 
danger  of  the  ship's  bottom  beating  against  the  end 
of  the  mast,  did  the  latter  get  overboard.  Under  all 
these  circumstances,  however,  we  determined  to  cut 
as  much  of  the  gear  as  possible,  and  let  the  fallen 
spars  work  themselves  clear  of  us,  if  they  could. 

Our  job  was  by  no  means  easy.  It  was  difficult  to 
stand,  even,  on  the  deck  of  the  Dawn,  in  a  time  like 
that ;  and  this  difficulty  was  greatly  increased  forward, 
by  having  so  little  to  hold  on  by.  But  work  Ave  did, 
and  in  a  way  that  cleared  most  of  the  rigging  from 
the  ship,  in  the  course  of  the  next  half-hour.  We 
were  encouraged  by  the  appearances  of  the  weather, 
too,  the  gale  having  broken,  and  promising  to  abate. 
The  ship  grew  a  little  easier,  I  thought,  and  we  moved 
about  with  more  confidence  of  not  being  washed  away 
by  the  seas  that  came  on  board  us.  After  a  time,  we 
took  some  refreshments,  eating  the  remains  of  a  for- 
mer meal,  and  cheered  our  hearts  a  little  with  a  glass 
or  two  of  good  Sherry.  Then  we  went  at  it  again, 
working  with  a  will  and  with  spirit.  The  wreck  aft 
wanted  very  little  to  carry  it  over  the  side,  and  going 
aloft  with  an  axe,  I  watched  my  opportunity,  cut  one 
or  two  of  the  shrouds  and  stays,  just  as  the  ship 
lurched  heavily  to  leeward,  and  got  rid  of  the  whole 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  23 

in  the  sea  handsomely,  without  further  injury  to  the 
ship.  This  was  a  good  deliverance,  the  manner  in 
which  the  spars  had  threshed  about  having  menaced 
our  lives  before.  We  now  attacked  the  wreck  for- 
ward for  the  last  time,  feeling  certain  we  should  get 
it  adrift,  could  we  sever  the  connection  formed  by 
one  or  two  of  the  larger  ropes.  The  lee  shrouds,  in 
particular,  gave  us  trouble,  it  being  impossible  to  get 
at  them,  in-board,  the  fore-channels  being  half  the  time 
underwater  and  the' bulwarks  in  then- wake  being 
all  gone.  It  was,  in  fact,  impossible  to  stand  there  to 
Avork  long  enough  to  clear,  or  cut,  all  the  lanyards. 
Marble  was  an  adventurous  fellow  aloft,  on  all  occa- 
sions ;  and  seeing  good  footing  about  the  top,  with- 
out saying  a  word  to  me,  he  seized  an  axe,  and  liter- 
ally ran  out  on  the  mast,  where  he  began  to  cut  the 
collars  of  the  rigging  at  the  mast-head.  This  was 
soon  done  ;  but  the  spars  were  no  sooner  clear,  than, 
impelled  by  a  wave  that  nearly  drowned  the  mate, 
the  end  of  the  foremast  slid  oft*  the  forecastle  into  the 
sea,  leaving  the  ship  virtually  clear  of  the  wreck,  but 
my  mate  adrift  on  the  last;  I  say  virtually  clear,  for 
the  lee  fore-top-sail-brace  still  remained  fast  to  the 
ship,  by  some  oversight  in  clearing  away  the  smaller 
ropes.  The  effect  of  this  restraint  was  to  cause  the 
whole  body  of  the  wreck  to  swing  slowly  round,  until 
it  rode  by  this  rope  alone. 

Here  was  a  new  and  a  most  serious  state  of  things! 
I  knew  that  my  male  would  do  all  that  man  could 
perform,  situated  as  he  was,  but  what  man  could  swim 
against  such  a  sea,  even  the  short  distance  that  inter- 


21  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

posed  between  the  spars  and  the  ship  ?  The  point  of 
the  wreck  nearest  the  vessel,  was  the  end  of  the  top- 
sail-yard, to  which  the  brace  led,  and  this  was  raised 
from  the  water  by  the  strain  (the  other  end  of  the 
brace  leading  aloft),  fathoms  at  a  time,  rendering  it 
extremely  difficult  for  Marble  to  reach  the  rope,  by 
means  of  which  I  could  now  see,  notwithstanding  all 
the  difficulties,  he  hoped  to  regain  the  vessel.  The 
voice  could  be  heard  by  one  directly  to  leeward,  the 
howling  of  the  winds  and  the  roar  of  the  waters  hav- 
ing materially  lessened  within  the  last  few  hours.  I 
shouted  to  Marble,  therefore,  my  intentions — 

"  Stand  by  to  get  the  brace  as  I  ease  it  off,  in- 
board," I  cried  ;  "then  you  will  be  safe  !" 

The  mate  understood  me,  giving  a  gesture  of  assent 
with  his  arm.  When  both  were  ready,  I  eased  off  the 
rope  suddenly,  and  Marble,  partly  by  crawling,  and 
partly  by  floating  and  dragging  himself  by  the  hands, 
actually  got  to  the  yard-arm,  which  was  immediately 
raised  from  the  water,  however,  by  the  drift  made  by 
the  spars,  while  he  was  achieving  his  object.  I  trem- 
bled as  I  saw  this  stout  seaman,  the  water  dripping 
from  his  clothes,  thus  elevated  in  the  air,  with  the 
angry  billows  rolling  beneath  him,  like  lions  leaping 
upward  to  catch  the  adventurer  in  their  grasp.  Mar- 
ble's hand  was  actually  extended  to  reach  the  brace, 
when  its  block  gave  way  with  the  strain.  The  eye 
of  the  strap  slipping  from  the  yard,  down  went  the 
spar  into  the  water.  Next  the  trough  of  the  sea  hid 
every  thing  from  my  sight,  and  I  was  left  in  the  most 
painful  doubt  of  the  result,  when  I  perceived  the  mate 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  ZO 

lashing  himself  to  the  top,  as  the  portion  of  the  wreck 
that  floated  the  most  buoyantly.  He  had  managed  to 
get  in  again,  and  coolly  went  to  work  to  secure  him- 
self in  the  best  berth  he  could  find,  the  instant  he  re- 
gained the  main  mass  of  the  wreck.  As  he  rose  on 
the  crest  of  a  sea,  the  poor  fellow  made  a  gesture  of 
adieu  to  me ;  the  leave-taking  of  the  mariner ! 

In  this  manner  did  it  please  Divine  Providence  to 
separate  us  four,  who  had  already  gone  through  so 
much  in  company  !  With  what  moody  melancholy 
did  I  watch  the  wreck,  as  it  slowly  drifted  from  the 
ship.  I  no  longer  thought  of  making  further  eflbrts 
to  save  the  Dawn,  and  I  can  truly  say,  that  scarce  a 
thought  in  connection  with  my  own  life  crossed  my 
mind.  There  I  stood  for  quite  an  hour,  leaning 
against  the  foot  of  the  mizzen-mast,  with  folded  arms 
and  riveted  eyes,  regardless  of  the  pitches,  and 
lurches,  and  rolling  of  the  ship,  with  all  my  faculties 
and  thoughts  fastened  on  the  form  of  Marble,  expect- 
ing each  time  the  top  rose  to  view  to  find  it  empty. 
He  Mas  too  securely  lashed,  however,  to  strike  adrift, 
though  he  was  nearly  half  the  time  under  water.  It 
was  impossible  to  do  any  thing  to  save  him.  No 
boat  was  left  ;  had  there  been  one,  it  could  not  have 
lived,  nor  could  I  have  managed  it  alone.  Spars  he 
had  already,  hut  what  must  become  of  him  without 
food  or  water?  I  threw  two  breakers  of  the  last 
into  the  sea,  and  a  box  of  bread,  in  a  sort  of  idle 
hope  they  might  drift  down  near  the  wreck,  and  help 
to  prolong  the  sufferer's  life.  They  were  all  tossed 
about  in  the  cauldron  of  the   ocean,  and    disappeared 


26  STOEIES    OF    THE    SKA. 

to  leeward,  I  knew  not  whither.  When  Marble  was 
no  longer  visible  from  deck,  I  went  into  the  main- 
top and  watched  the  mass  of  spars  and  rigging, 
so  long  as  any  portion  of  it  could  be  seen.  Then  I 
set  it  by  compass,  in  order  to  know  its  bearing,  and 
an  hour  before  the  sun  went  down,  or  as  soon  as  the 
diminished  power  of  the  wind  would  permit,  I  show- 
ed an  ensign  aloft,  as  a  signal  that  I  bore  my  mate  in 
mind. 

"  He  knows  I  will  not  desert  him  as  long  as  there 
is  hope — so  long  as  I  have  life !"  I  muttered  to  my- 
self; and  this  thought  was  a  relief  to  my  mind  in  that 
bitter  moment. 

Bitter  moment,  truly  !  Time  has  scarcely  lessened 
the  keenness  of  the  sensations  I  endured,  as  memory 
traces  the  feelings  and  incidents  of  that  day. 

By  the  time  the  sun  set,  the  wind  had  so  far  abated, 
and  the  sea  had  gone  down  so  much,  as  to  remove  all 
further  apprehensions  from  the  gale.  The  ship  lay-to 
easily,  and  I  had  no  occasion  to  give  myself  any  trou- 
ble on  her  account.  Had  there  been  light,  I  should 
now  have  put  the  helm  up,  and  run  to  leeward,  in  the 
hope  of  finding  the  spars,  and  at  least  of  keeping  near 
Marble;  but,  fearful  of  passing  him  in  the  darkness, 
I  deferred  that  duty  until  the  morning.  All  I  could 
do  was  to  watch  the  weather,  in  order  to  make  this 
cflort,  before  the  wind  should  shift. 

What  a  night  I  passed  !  As  soon  as  it  was  dark, 
I  sounded  the  pumps,  and  found  six  feet  water  in  the 
hold.  It  was  idle  for  one  man  to  attempt  clearing  a 
vessel  of  the  Dawn's  size  ;  and  I  gave  myself  no  fur- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  27 

ther  thought  in  the  matter.  So  much  injury  had 
been  done  the  upper  works  of  the  ship,  that  I  had  a 
sort  of  conviction  she  must  go  down,  unless  fallen  in 
with  by  some  other  craft.  I  cannot  say  apprehen- 
sion for  my  own  fate  troubled  me  any,  or  that  I 
thought  of  the  ruin  to  my  fortunes  that  was  involved 
in  the  loss  of  the  ship.  My  mind  reverted  constantly 
to  my  companions;  could  I  have  recovers!  them,  I 
should  have  been  happy,  for  a  time  at  least. 

I  slept  two  or  three  hours,  toward  morning,  over- 
come with  fatigue.  When  I  awoke,  it  was  in  conse- 
quence of  receiving  the  sun's  rays  in  my  face.  Spring- 
ing to  my  feet,  I  cast  a  confused  and  hurried  glance 
around  me.  The  wind  was  still  at  north-east,  but  it 
barely  blew  a  good  whole-sail  breeze.  The  sea  had 
gone  down,  to  the  regular  roll  of  the  ocean  ;  and  a 
finer  day  never  shone  upon  the  Atlantic.  I  hurried 
eagerly  <>n  ileck,  and  gazed  on  the  ocean  to  Leeward, 
with  Longing  eyes,  to  ascertain  if  any  thing  could  be 
seen  of  the  wreck  of  our  spars.  Nothing  was  visible. 
From  the  main-top,  I  could  command  a  pretty  wide 
horizon;  but  the  ocean  lay  a  bright,  glittering  blank, 

the  Crests  of  its  own  waves  excepted.  1  felt  certain 
the  Dawn  w:is  so  weal  lierly,  thai  the  spars  were  to 
leeward;  but  the  ship  must  have  forged  miles  ahead, 
during  the  last  twelve  hours  ;  and  there  was  almost 
the  equal  certainty  of  her  being  along  distance  to 

the    southward    of    the     floating     hamper,    her     head 

having  lain  in  that  direction  since  the  time  she 
broached-to.  To  get  her  oil'  before  the  wind,  then, 
was  my  first  concern,  after  which  I  could    endeavor 


2S  STOBIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

to  force  her  to  the  northward,  running  the  chance  of 
falling  in  with  the  spars.  Could  I  find  my  mate,  we 
might  still  die  together,  which  would  have  been  a 
melancholy  consolation  just  then. 

Feeling  the  necessity  of  possessing  all  my  strength, 
I  ate  a  breakfast  before  I  commenced  work.  It  was 
with  a  heavy  heart,  and  but  little  appetite,  that  I 
took  this  solitary  meal ;  but  I  felt  that  its  effects  were 
good.  When  finished,  I  knelt  on  the  deck,  and 
prayed  to  God  fervently,  asking  his  Divine  assistance 
in  my  extremity. 

My  first  measure  was  to  lead  the  jib-stay,  which 
had  parted  near  the  head  of  its  own  mast,  to  the 
head  of  the  main-mast.  This  I  did  by  bending  on 
a  piece  of  another  rope.  I  then  got  up  the  halyards, 
and  loosened  and  set  the  jib ;  a  job  that  consumed 
quite  two  hours.  Of  course,  this  sail  did  not  set 
very  well,  but  it  was  the  only  mode  I  had  of  getting 
forward  canvas  on  the  ship  at  all.  As  soon  as  the 
jib  was  set,  in  this  imperfect  manner,  I  put  the 
helm  up,  and  got  the  ship  before  the  wind.  I  then 
hauled  out  the  spanker,  and  gave  it  sheet.  By  these 
means,  aided  by  the  action  of  the  breeze  on  the  hull 
and  spars,  I  succeeded  in  getting  something  like 
three  knots'  way  on  the  ship,  keeping  off"  a  little 
northerly,  in  which  direction  I  felt  sensible  it  was 
necessary  to  proceed  in  quest  of  the  spars.  I  esti- 
mated the  drift  of  the  wreck  at  a  knot  an  hour,  in- 
cluding the  good  and  moderate  weather ;  and,  allow- 
ing for  that  of  the  ship  itself,  I  supposed  it  must  be, 
by  that  time,  some  twelve  miles  to  leeward  of  me. 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  29 

These  twelve  miles  I  managed  to  run  by  noon,  when 
I  hauled  up  sufficiently  to  bring  the  wind  abeam, 
heading  northwardly.  As  the  ship  would  now  steer 
herself,  that  is,  as  small  as  it  was  necessary  for  me  to 
go,  I  collected  some  food,  took  a  glass,  and  went  up 
into  the  main-top,  to  dine,  and  to  examine  the  ocean. 

The  anxious,  anxious  hours  I  passed  in  that  top ! 
Not  an  object  of  any  sort  appeared  on  the  surface  of 
the  Avide  ocean.  It  seemed  as  if  the  birds  and  the 
fishes  had  abandoned  me  to  my  loneliness.  I  watched 
and  examined  the  surrounding  sea,  until  my  hands 
were  tired  with  holding  the  glass  and  my  eyes 
became  weary  with  their  office.  Fortunate!y  the 
breeze  stood,  though  the  sea  went  down  fast ;  giving 
me  every  opportunity  I  could  desire  of  effecting  my 
object.  The  ship  yawed  about  a  good  deal,  it  is 
true ;  but  on  the  whole  she  made  a  very  tolerable 
course.  I  could  see  by  the  water  that  she  had  a  mo- 
tion of  about  two  knots,  for  mostof  the  time;  though 
as  the  day  advanced,  the  wind  began  to  fall,  and  her 
rate  of  going  diminished  quite  one-half. 

At  Length,  after  passing  hours  aloft,  I  went  below, 
to  look  after  tilings  there.  On  sounding  the  pumps, 
I  found  ten  feet  water  in  the  hold  ;  though  the  upper 
works  were  now  not  at  all  submerged,  and  the  mo- 
tion of  the  vessel  was  very  easy.  That  the  Dawn  was 
gradually  sinking  under  me,  was  a  fact  too  evident 
to  be  denied;  and  all  the  concerns  of  this  life  began 
to  narrow  into  a  circle  of  some  four-and-twenty 
hours.  That  time  the  ship  would  probably  float — 
ihly  a  little   longer,  should   the  weather  continue 


30  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

moderate.  The  wind  was  decreasing  still,  and,  think- 
ing I  might  have  a  tranquil  night,  I  determined  to 
pass  that  time  in  preparing  for  the  last  great  change. 
We  must  all  yield  up  our  lives  once  ;  and  though  my 
hour  came  rather  early,  it  should  be  met  as  a  man 
meets  every  thing,  even  to  death  itself. 

Some  time  before  the  sun  set,  I  went  aloft  to  take 
a  last  look  at  the  ocean.  The  ocean  beamed  glori- 
ously that  eventide,  and  I  fancied  that  it  was  faintly 
reflecting  the  gracious  countenance  of  its  divine  Cre- 
ator, in  a  smile  of  beneficent  love.  I  felt  my  heart 
soften,  as  I  gazed  around  me,  and  I  fancied  heavenly 
music  was  singing  the  praises  of  God  on  the  face  of 
the  great  deep.    Then  I  knelt  in  the  top,  and  prayed. 

Rising,  I  looked  at  the  ocean,  as  I  supposed,  for 
the  last  time.  Not  a  sail  wras  anywhere  to  be  seen. 
I  cannot  say  that  I  felt  disappointed — I  did  not  ex- 
pect relief  from  that  quarter.  ]\Jy  object  was  to  find 
my  mate,  that  we  might  die  together.  Slowly  I 
raised  the  glass,  and  the  horizon  was  swept  with  de- 
liberation. Nothing  appeared.  I  had  shut  the  glass, 
and  was  about  to  sling  it,  when  my  eye  caught  the 
appearance  of  something  floating  on  the  surface  of 
the  ocean,  within  a  mile  of  the  ship,  well  to  leeward, 
and  ahead.  I  had  overlooked  it,  in  consequence  of 
ranging  above  it  with  the  glass,  in  the  desire  to 
sweep  the  horizon.  I  could  not  be  mistaken — it  was 
the  wreck.  In  a  moment  the  glass  was  levelled,  and 
I  assured  myself  of  the  fact.  The  top  was  plainly 
visible,  floating  quite  high  above  the  surface,  and 
portions  of  the  yards  and  masts  were   occasionally 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  31 

seen,  as  the  undulations  of  the  ocean  left  them  bare. 
I  saw  an  object,  lying  motionless,  across  the  top-rim, 
which  I  supposed  to  be  Marble.  He  was  either  dead 
or  asleep. 

What  a  revulsion  of  feeling  came  over  me  at  this 
sight !  A  minute  before,  and  I  was  completely  iso- 
lated ;  cut  off  from  the  rest  of  my  species,  and  resign- 
ed to  a  fate  that  seemed  to  command  my  quitting 
this  state  of  being,  without  further  communion 
with  mankind.  Every  thing  was  changed.  Here  was 
the  companion  of  so  many  former  dangers,  the  man 
who  had  taught  me  my  profession,  one  that  I  can 
truly  say  I  loved,  quite  near  me,  and  possibly  dying 
for  the  want  of  that  aid  which  I  might  render.  I 
was  on  deck  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye ;  the  sheets 
were  eased  off,  and  the  helm  put  up.  Obedient  to 
my  wishes,  the  ship  fell  off,  and  I  soon  got  a  glimpse, 
from  the  spot  where  I  Stood,  at  the  wheel  of  the 
wreck,  a  little  clear  of  the  weather  catdiead.  By  this 
time,  the  wind  was  so  light,  and  the  ship  had  got  to  be 
so  deep  in  the  water,  that  the  motion  of  the  last  was 
very  slow.  Even  with  the  helm  up,  it  scarce  equalled 
half  a  knot ;  I  began  to  fear  I  should  not  be  able  to 
reach  my  goal,  after  all ! 

There  were  now  intervals  of  dead  calm  ;  then  the 
air  would  return  in  little  puffs,  urging  the  great  mass 
heavily  onward.  I  whistled,  I  prayed,  I  called  aloud 
for  wind  ;  in  short,  I  adopted  all  the  expedients 
known,  from  that  of  the  most  vulgar  nautical  super- 
stition, up  to  profound  petition  to  the  Father  of 
mercies.      I   presume   nil    this   brought   no   ehange, 


32  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

though  the  passage  of  time  did.  About  half  an  hour 
"before  the  sun  dipped  into  the  ocean,  the  ship  was 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  wreck.  This  I  could 
ascertain  by  stolen  glances,  for  the  direction  I  was 
now  compelled  to  steer,  placed  the  forward  part  of 
the  ship  between  me  and  my  object,  and  I  did  not 
dare  quit  the  wheel  to  go  forward,  lest  I  should  miss 
it  altogether.  I  had  prepared  a  grapnel,  by  placing 
a  small  kedge  in  the  lee  waist,  with  a  hawser  bent, 
and,  could  I  come  within  a  few  feet  of  the  floating 
hamper,  I  felt  confident  of  being  able  to  hook  into 
something.  It  appeared  to  me  now,  as  if  the  ship 
absolutely  refused  to  move.  Go  ahead  she  did,  not- 
withstanding, though  it  was  only  her  own  length  in 
five  or  six  minutes.  My  hasty  glances  told  me  that 
two  more  of  these  lengths  would  effect  my  purpose. 
I  scarce  breathed,  lest  the  vessel  should  not  be  steered 
with  sufficient  accuracy,  ft  was  strange  to  me  that 
Marble  did  not  hail,  and,  fancying  him  asleep,  I 
shouted  with  all  my  energy,  in  order  to  arouse  him. 
"  What  a  joyful  sound  that  will  be  in  his  ears,"  I 
thought  to  myself,  though  to  me,  my  own  voice 
seemed  unearthly  and  alarming.  No  answer  came. 
Then  I  felt  a  slight  shock,  as  if  the  cut-water  had  hit 
something,  and  a  low  scraping  sound  against  the 
copper  announced  that  the  ship  had  hit  the  wreck. 
Quitting  the  wheel,  I  sprang  into  the  waist,  raising 
the  kedge  in  my  arms.  Then  came  the  upper  spars 
wheeling  strongly  round,  under  the  pressure  of  the 
vessel's  bottom  against  the  extremity  of  the  lower 
mast.     I  saw  nothing,  but  the  great  maze  of  hamper 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  33 

and  wreck,  and  could  scarcely  breathe  in  the  anxiety 
not  to  miss  my  aim.  There  was  much  reason  to  fear 
the  whole  mass  would  float  off,  leaving  me  no  chance 
of  throwing  the  kedge,  for  the  smaller  masts  no 
longer  inclined  in,  and  I  could  see  that  the  ship  and 
wreck  were  slowly  separating.  A  low  thump  on  the 
bottom,  directly  beneath  me,  drew  my  head  over  the 
side,  and  I  found  the  fore-yard,  as  it  might  be,  a 
cock-bill,  with  one  end  actually  scraping  along  the 
ship's  bottom.  It  was  the  only  chance  I  had,  or  was 
likely  to  have,  and  I  threw  the  kedge  athwart  it. 
Luckily  the  hawser,  as  it  tautened,,  brought  a  fluke 
directly  under  the  yard,  within  the  Flemish  horse, 
the  brace-block,  and  all  the  other  ropes  that  are  fitted 
to  a  lower  yard-arm.  So  slow  was  the  motion  of 
the  ship,  that  my  grapnel  held,  and  the  entire  body 
of  the  Avreck  began  to  yield  to  the  pressure.  I  now 
jumped  to  the  jib-halyards  and  down-haul,  getting 
th.it  sail  reduced;  then  I  half-brailed  the  spanker; 
this  was  done  lest  my  hold  on  the  yard  should  give 
way. 

I  can  say,  that  up  to  this  instant,  I  had  not  even 
looked  for  Marble.  So  intense  had  been  my  appre- 
hensions of  missing  the  wreck,  that  I  thought  of 
nothing  else,  could  see  nothing  else.  Satisfied,  how- 
ever, that  my  fast  would  hold,  I  ran  forward  to  look 
down  on  the  top,  that  the  strain  of  the  hawser  had 
broughl  directly  under  the  very  bow,  over  which  it 
had  fallen.  It  was  empty!  The  object  I  had  mis- 
taken for  Marble,  dead  or  asleep,  was  a  part  of  the 
hunt  of  the  main-top-sail,  that  had  been  hauled  down 
3 


34  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

over  the  top-rim,  and  secured  there,  either  to  form  a 
sort  of  shelter  against  the  breaking  seas,  or  a  bed. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  intention  of  this  nest, 
it  no  longer  had  an  occupant.  Marble  had  probably 
been  washed  away,  in  one  of  his  adventurous  efforts 
to  make  himself  more  secure  or  more  comfortable. 

The  disappointment  that  came  over  me,  as  I  ascer- 
tained this  fact,  was  scarcely  less  painful  than  the 
anguish  I  had  felt  when  I  first  saw  my  mate  carried 
off  into  the  ocean.  There  would  have  been  a  melan- 
choly satisfaction  in  finding  his  body,  that  we  might 
have  gone  to  the  bottom  together,  at  least,  and  thus 
have  slept  in  a  common  grave,  in  the  depths  of  that 
ocean  over  which  we  had  sailed  so  many  thousands 
of  leagues  in  company.  I  went  and  threw  myself  on 
the  deck,  regardless  of  my  own  fate,  and  wept  in  very 
bitterness  of  heart.  I  had  arranged  a  mattress  on 
the  quarter-deck,  and  it  was  on  that  I  now  threw  my- 
self. Fatigue  overcame  me,  in  the  end,  and  I  fell 
into  a  deep  sleep.  As  my  recollection  left  me,  my 
last  thought  was  that  I  should  go  down  with  the 
ship,  as  I  lay  there.  So  complete  was  the  triumph  of 
nature,  that  I  did  not  even  dream.  I  did  not  remem- 
ber ever  to  have  enjoyed  more  profound  and  refresh- 
ing slumbers  ;  slumbers  that  continued  until  returning 
light  awoke  me.  To  that  night's  rest  I  am  probably 
indebted,  under  God,  for  having  the  means  of  relating 
these  adventures. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  night  had 
been  tranquil ;  otherwise,  a  seaman's  ears  would  have 
given   him  the   alarm.     When  I  arose,  I  found  the 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  35 

ocean  glittering  like  a  mirror,  with  no  other  motion 
than  that  which  has  so  often  been  likened  to  the 
slumbering  respiration  of  some  huge  animal.  The 
wreck  was  thumping  against  the  ship's  bottom,  an- 
nouncing its  presence,  before  I  left  the  mattress.  Of 
wind  there  was  literally  not  a  breath.  Once  in  a 
while,  the  ship  would  seem  to  come  up  to  breathe,  as 
a  heavy  ground-swell  rolled  along  her  sides,  and  the 
wash  of  the  element  told  the  circumstance  of  such  a 
visit ;  else,  all  was  as  still  as  the  ocean  in  its  infancy. 
I  knelt  again,  and  prayed  to  that  dread  Being,  with 
whom,  it  now  appeared  to  me,  I  stood  alone,  in  the 
centre  of  the  universe. 

Down  to  the  moment  when  I  arose  from  my  knees, 
the  thought  of  making  an  effort  to  save  myself,  or  to 
try  to  prolong  existence  a  few  hours,  by  means  of  the 
wreck,  did  not  occur  to  me.  But,  when  I  came  to 
look  about  me,  to  note  the  tranquil  condition  of  the 
ocean,  and  to  heed  the  chances,  small  as  they  were, 
that  offered,  the  love  of  life  was  renewed  within  me, 
and  I  seriously  set  about  the  measures  necessary  to 
such  an  end. 

The  first  step  was  to  sound  the  pumps  anew.  The 
water  had  not  gained  in  the  night  as  rapidly  as  it  had 
gained  throughout  the  preceding  day.  But  it  had 
gained ;  there  being  three  feet  more  of  it  than  when  I 
last  sounded — the  infallible  evidence  of  the  existence 
of  a  leak  that  no  means  of  mine  could  stop.  It  was, 
then,  hopeless  to  think  of  saving  the  ship.  She  had 
settled  in  the  water,  already,  so  as  to  bring  the  lower 
bolts  of  both  fore  and  main  channels  awash ;  and  I 


36  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

supposed  she  might  float  for  four-and-twenty  hours 
longer,  unless  an  injury  that  I  had  discovered  under 
the  larboard  cat-head,  and  which  had  been  received 
from  the  wreck,  should  sooner  get  under  water.  It 
appeared  to  me  that  a  butt  had  been  started  there ; 
such  a  leak  would  certainly  hasten  the  fate  of  the 
vessel  by  some  hours,  should  it  come  fairly  into  the 
account. 

Having  made  this  calculation  as  to  the  time  I  had  to 
do  it  in,  I  set  seriously  about  the  job  of  making  pro- 
visions with  my  raft.  In  one  or  two  particulars,  I 
could  not  much  improve  the  latter ;  for,  the  yards 
lying  underneath  the  masts,  it  rendered  the  last  as 
buoyant  as  was  desirable  in  moderate  weather.  It 
struck  me,  however,  that  by  getting  the  top-gallant 
and  royal  masts,  with  their  yards,  in,  around  the  top, 
I  might  rig  a  staging,  with  the  aid  of  the  hatches, 
that  would  not  only  keep  me  entirely  out  of  water, 
in  mild  weather,  but  which  would  contain  all  one  man 
could  consume,  in  the  way  of  victuals  and  drink,  for 
a  month  to  come.  To  this  object,  then,  I  next  gave 
my  attention. 

I  had  no  great  difficulty  in  getting  the  spars  I  have 
mentioned,  loose,  and  in  hauling  them  alongside  of 
the  top.  It  was  a  job  that  required  time,  rather  than 
strength  ;  for  my  movements  were  greatly  facilitated 
by  the  presence  of  the  top-mast  rigging,  which  re- 
mained in  its  place,  almost  as  taut  as  when  upright. 
The  other  rigging  I  cut,  and  having  got  out  the  fids 
of  the  two  masts,  one  at  a  time,  I  pushed  the  spars 
through  their  respective  caps  with  a  foot.    Of  course, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  37 

I  was  obliged  to  get  into  the  water  to  work ;  but  I 
had  thrown  aside  most  of  my  clothes  for  the  occasion, 
and  the  weather  being  warm,  I  felt  greatly  refreshed 
with  my  bath.  In  two  hours'  time,  I  had  my  top- 
gallant-mast and  yard  well  secured  to  the  top-rim  and 
the  caps,  having  sawed  them  in  pieces  for  the  pnrjDOse. 
The  fastenings  were  both  spikes  and  lashings,  the  car- 
penter's stores  furnishing  plenty  of  the  former,  as  well 
as  all  sorts  of  tools. 

This  part  of  the  arrangement  completed,  I  ate  a 
hearty  breakfast,  when  I  began  to  secure  the  hatches, 
as  a  sort  of  floor,  on  my  primitive  joists.  This  was 
not  difficult,  the  hatches  being  long,  and  the  rings 
enabling  me  to  lash  them,  as  well  as  to  spike  them. 
Long  before  the  sun  had  reached  the  meridian,  I  had 
a  stout  little  platform,  that  was  quite  eighteen  inches 
above  the  water,  and  which  was  surrounded  by  a 
species  of  low  ridge-ropes,  so  placed  as  to  keep  arti- 
cles from  readily  tumbling  oft*  it.  The  next  measure 
was  to  cut  all  the  sails  from  the  yards,  and  to  cut 
loose  all  the  rigging  and  iron  that  did  not  serve  to 
keep  the  wreck  together.  The  reader  can  easily 
imagine  how  much  more  buoyancy  I  obtained  by 
these  expedients.  The  fore-sail  alone  weighed  much 
more  than  I  did  myself,  with  all  the  stores  I  might 
have  occasion  to  put  on  my  platform.  As  for  the 
fore-top-sail,  there  was  little  of  it  left,  the  canvas  hav- 
ing mostly  blown  from  the  yard,  before  the  mast 
went. 

My  raft  was  completed  by  the  time  I  felt  the  want 
of  dinner;  and  a  very  good  rait  it  was.    The  platform 


38  STOKIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

was  about  ten  feet  square,  and  it  now  floated  quite 
two  feet  clear  of  the  water.  This  was  not  much  for 
a  sea ;  but,  after  the  late  violent  gale,  I  had  some 
reason  to  expect  a  continuation  of  comparatively  good 
weather.  I  should  not  have  been  a  true  seaman  not 
to  have  bethought  me  of  a  mast  and  a  sail.  I  saved 
the  fore-royal  mast,  and  the  yard,  with  its  canvas, 
for  such  a  purpose ;  determining  to  rig  them  when  I 
had  nothing  else  to  do.  I  then  ate  my  dinner,  which 
consisted  of  the  remnants  of  the  old  cold  meat  and 
fowls  I  could  find  among  the  cabin  eatables. 

This  meal  taken,  the  duty  that  came  next  was  to 
provision  my  raft.  It  took  but  little  thne  or  labor. 
The  cabin  stores  were  quite  accessible ;  and  a  bag  of 
pilot-bread,  another  of  that  peculiarly  American  in- 
vention, called  crackers — some  smoked  beef,  a  case 
of  liquors,  and  two  breakers  of  water,  formed  my 
principal  stock.  To  this  I  added  a  pot  of  butter,  with 
some  capital  smoked  herrings,  and  some  anchovies. 
We  lived  well  in  the  cabin  of  the  Dawn,  and  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  making  all  the  provision  that  six 
or  eight  men  would  have  needed  for  a  month.  Per- 
ceiving that  the  raft,  now  it  was  relieved  from  the 
weight  of  the  sails  and  rigging,  was  not  much  affected 
by  the  stores,  I  began  to  look  about  me  in  quest  of  any 
thing  valuable  I  might  wish  to  save.  The  preparations 
I  had  been  making  created  a  sort  of  confidence  in 
their  success ;  a  confidence  (hope  might  be  the  better 
word)  that  was  as  natural,  perhaps,  as  it  was  unrea- 
sonable. I  examined  the  different  objects  that  offered, 
with  a  critical  comparison  of  then  value  and  future 


STORIES   OF   TIIE    SEA.  39 

usefulness,  that  would  have  been  absurd,  had  it  not 
afforded  a  melancholy  proof  of  the  tenacity  of  our 
desires  in  matters  of  this  nature.  I  always  carried  to 
sea  with  me  a  handsome  chest,  that  I  had  bought  in 
one  of  my  earlier  voyages,  and  which  usually  con- 
tained my  money,  clothes,  and  other  valuables.  This 
chest  I  managed  to  get  on  deck,  by  the  aid  of  a  pur- 
chase, and  over  the  ship's  side,  on  the  raft.  It  was 
much  the  most  troublesome  task  I  had  undertaken. 
To  this  I  added  my  writing-desk,  a  mattress,  two  or 
three  counterpanes,  and  a  few  other  light  articles, 
which  it  struck  me  might  be  of  use — but,  which  I 
could  cast  into  the  sea  at  any  moment,  should  it  be- 
come necessary.  When  all  this  was  done,  I  conceived 
that  my  useful  preparations  were  closed. 

It  was  near  night,  and  I  felt  sufficiently  fatigued 
to  lie  down  and  sleep.  The  water  had  gained  very 
slowly  during  the  last  few  hours,  but  the  ship  was 
now  swimming  so  low,  that  I  thought  it  unsafe  to 
remain  in  the  vessel,  while  asleep.  I  determined, 
therefore,  to  take  my  leave  of  her,  and  go  on  the  raft 
for  that  purpose.  It  struck  me  too,  it  might  be  un- 
safe to  be  too  near  the  vessel  when  she  went  down, 
and  I  had  barely  time  to  get  the  spars  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  ship," before  darkness  would  come. 
Still,  I  was  unwilling  to  abandon  the  Dawn  alto- 
gether, since  the  spars  that  stood  on  board  her,  would 
always  be  a  more  available  signal  to  any  passing  ves- 
sel, than  the  low  sail  I  could  set  on  the  raft.  Should 
Bhe  float  during  the  succeeding  day,  they  would  in- 


40  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

crease  the  chances  of  a  rescue,  and  they  offered  an 
advantage  not  to  be  lightly  thrown  away. 

To  force  the  spars  away  from  the  ship  was  not  an 
easy  task  of  itself.  There  is  an  attraction  in  matter, 
that  is  known  to  bring  vessels  nearer  together  in 
calms,  and  I  had  this  principle  of  nature  first  to  over- 
come ;  then  to  neutralize  it,  without  the  adequate 
means  for  doing  either.  Still  I  was  very  strong,  and 
possessed  all  the  resources  of  a  seaman.  The  raft, 
too,  now  its  length  was  reduced,  was  much  more 
manageable  than  it  had  been  originally,  and  in  rum- 
maging about  the  twixt-decks,  I  had  found  a  set  of 
oars  belonging  to  the  launch,  which  had  been  stowed 
in  the  steerage,  and  which  of  course  were  preserved. 
These  I  had  taken  to  the  raft,  to  strengthen  my  stag- 
ing, or  deck,  and  two  of  them  had  been  reserved  for 
the  very  purpose  to  which  they  were  now  applied. 

Cutting  away  the  kedge,  then,  and  casting  off  the 
other  ropes  I  had  used  with  which  to  breast-to  the 
raft,  I  began  to  shove  off,  just  as  the  sun  was  dipping. 
So  long  as  I  could  pull  by  the  ship,  I  did  very  well, 
for  I  adopted  the  expedient  of  hauling  astern,  instead 
of  pushing  broad  off,  under  the  notion  that  I  might 
get  a  better  drift,  if  quite  from  under  the  lee  of  the 
vessel,  than  if  lying  on  her  broadside.  I  say  the 
"lee,"  though  there  wasn't  a  breath  of  air,  nor 
scarcely  any  motion  of  the  water.  I  had  a  line  fast 
to  a  stern-davit,  and  placing  myself  with  my  feet 
braced  against  the  chest,  I  soon  overcame  the  vis  in- 
ertice  of  the  spars,  aud,  exerting  all  my  force,  when  it 
was  once  in  motion,  I  succeeded  in  giving  the  raft  an 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  41 

impetus  that  carried  it  completely  past  the  ship.  I 
confess  I  felt  no  personal  apprehension  from  the  suc- 
tion, supposing  the  ship  to  sink  while  the  raft  was  in 
absolute  contact  with  it,  but  the  agitation  of  the 
water  might  weaken  its  parts,  or  it  might  wash  most 
of  my  stores  away.  This  last  consideration  induced 
me  now  to  go  to  work  with  the  oars,  and  try  to  do 
all  I  could,  by  that  mode  of  propelling  my  dull  craft. 
I  worked  hard  just  one  hour,  by  my  watch  at  the 
expiration  of  that  time,  the  nearest  end  of  the  raft,  or 
the  lower  part  of  the  foremast,  was  about  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  Dawn's  taflrail.  This  was  a  slow 
movement,  and  did  not  fail  to  satisfy  me,  that,  if  I 
were  to  be  saved  at  all,  it  would  be  by  means  of  some 
passing  vessel,  and  not  by  my  own  progress. 

Overcome  by  fatigue,  I  now  lay  down  and  slept. 
I  took  no  precautions  against  the  wind's  rising  in  the 
night  ;  firstly,  because  I  thought  it  impossible  from 
the  tranquij  aspects  of  the  heavens  and  the  ocean; 
and,  secondly,  because  I  felt  no  doubt  that  the  wash 
of  the  water  and  the  sound  of  the  winds  would  arouse 
me,  should  it  occur  differently.  As  on  the  previous 
night,  I  slept  sweetly,  and  obtained  renewed  strength 
for  any  future  trials.  As  on  the  preceding  morning, 
too,  I  was  awakened  by  the  warm  rays  of  the  rising 
sun  falling  on  my  face.  On  first  awaking,  I  did 
not  know  exactly  where  I  was.  A  moment's  reflec- 
tion, however,  sufficed  to  recall  the  past  to  my  mind, 
and  I  turned  to  examine  my  actual  situation. 

I  looked  for  the  ship,  toward  the  end  of  the  mast, 
or  in  the    direction  where  1  had  last    seen   her;   but 


42  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

she  was  not  visible.  The  raft  had  swung  round  in 
the  night,  I  thought,  and  I  bent  my  eyes  slowly 
round  the  entire  circle  of  the  horizon,  but  no  ship 
was  to  be  seen.  The  Dawn  had  sunk  in  the  night, 
and  so  quietly  as  to  give  no  alarm  !  I  shuddered,  for 
I  could  not  but  imagine  what  would  have  been  my 
fate,  had  I  been  aroused  from  the  sleep  of  the  living, 
only  to  experience  the  last  agony  as  I  passed  away 
into  the  sleep  of  the  dead.  I  cannot  describe  the  sen- 
sation that  came  over  me,  as  I  gazed  around,  and 
found  myself  on  the  broad  ocean,  floating  on  a  little 
deck  that  was  only  ten  feet  square,  and  which  was 
raised  less  than  two  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
waters.  It  was  now  that  I  felt  the  true  frailty  of  my 
position,  and  comprehended  all  its  dangers.  Before, 
it  had  been  shaded  by  the  ship,  as  it  might  be,  and  I 
had  found  a  species  of  protection  in  her  presence. 
But  the  whole  truth  now  stood  before  me.  Even  a 
moderate  breeze  would  raise  a  sea  that  could  not  fail 
to  break  over  the  staging,  and  which  must  sweep 
every  thing  away.  The  spars  had  a  specific  lightness, 
it  is  true,  and  they  would  never  sink ;  or,  if  they  did 
sink,  it  would  only  be  at  the  end  of  ages,  when  sat- 
urated with  water  and  covered  with  barnacles ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  they  possessed  none  of  the  buoy- 
ancy of  a  vessel,  and  could  not  rise  above  the  rolling 
waters,  sufficiently  to  clear  their  breakers. 

These  were  not  comfortable  reflections ;  they  pressed 
on  my  mind  even  while  engaged  at  my  morning  de- 
votions. After  performing,  in  the  best  manner  I 
could,  this  never-ceasing  duty,  I  ate  a  little,  though  I 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  43 

must  admit  it  was  with  a  small  appetite.   Then  I  made 
the  best  stowage  I  could  of  my  effects,  and  rigged 
and  stepped  the  mast,  hoisting  the  sail,  as  a  signal  to 
any  vessel  that  might  appear.     I  expected  wind  ere 
long ;   nor  was  I  disappointed ;   a  moderate   breeze 
springing  up  from  the  north-west^  about  nine  o'clock. 
This  air  was  an  immense  relief  to  me,  in  more  ways 
than  one.     It  cooled  my  person,  which  was  suffering 
from  the  intense  heat  of  a  summer's  sun  beating  di- 
rectly on  a  boundless  expanse  of  water,  and  it  varied 
a   scene  that   otherwise    possessed   an   oppressively 
wearisome  sameness.     Unfortunately,  this  breeze  met 
me  in  the  bows;   for  I  had  stepped  my  mast  in  the 
fore-mast,  lashed  it  against  the  bottom  of  the  top, 
which  it  will  be  remembered  was  now  perpendicular, 
and  stayed  it  to  the  mast-heads  and  dead-eyes  of  the 
top-mast   rigging,  all   of  which   remained   as  when 
erect,  though  now  floating  on  the  water.     I  intended 
the  fractured  part  of  the  foremast  for  my  cut-water, 
and,   of  course,   had   to   ware   ship   before   I  could 
gather  any  way.      This  single  manoeuvre  occupied  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  my  braces,  tacks,  and  sheets  not 
working  particularly  well.     At  the  end  of  that  time, 
however,  I  got  round,  and  laid  my  yard  square. 

As  soon  as  the  raft  got  fairly  before  the  wind,  and 
the  breeze  had  freshened,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  as- 
certaining what  it  would  do.  The  royal  was  a  large 
one,  and  it  stood  well.  I  had  brought  a  log-line  and 
(lie  slow-glass  with  me,  as  well  as  my  quadrant,  slate, 
&c.,  and  began  to  think  of  keeping  a  reckoning.  I 
had  supposed  the  ship  to  be,  when  it  fell  calm,  about 


4-i  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

two  hundred  miles  from  the  land,  and  I  knew  her  to 
be  in  latitude  48°  37".  The  log-line  told  me  the  raft 
moved  through  the  water,  all  that  forenoon,  at  the 
rate  of  about  half  a  knot  in  the  hour ;  and  could  I 
keep  on  for  fifteen  or  sixteen  days,  in  a  straight 
course,  I  might  yet  hope  to  get  ashore.  I  was  not  so 
weak,  however,  as  to  expect  any  such  miracle  to  be 
wrought  in  my  favor,  though,  had  I  been  in  the  trades, 
the  thing  might  have  occurred.  By  cutting  adrift  the 
two  yards,  or  by  getting  them  fore  and  aft,  in  a  line 
with  the  water,  my  rate  of  sailing  might  be  doubled ; 
and  I  began  seriously  to  think  of  effecting  this  great 
change.  Cut  the  yards  adrift  I  did  not  like  to  do, 
their  support  in  keeping  me  out  of  water  being  very 
important.  By  hauling  on  the  lift,  I  did  get  them  in 
a  more  oblique  position,  and  in  a  measure  thus  lessen- 
ed tiipir  resistance  to  the  element.  I  thought  that 
even  this  improvement  made  a  difference  of  half  a 
knot  in  my  movement.  Nevertheless,  it  was  tedious 
work  to  be  a  whole  hour  in  going  less  than  a  single 
mile,  when  two  hundred  remained  to  be  travelled, 
and  the  risks  of  the  ocean  were  thus  constantly  im- 
pending over  one! 

"What  a  day  was  that !  It  blew  pretty  fresh  at  one 
time,  and  I  began  to  tremble  for  my  staging,  or  deck, 
which  got  washed  several  times,  though  the  topsail- 
yard  made  for  it  a  sort  of  lee,  and  helped  to  protect 
it.  Toward  the  decline  of  the  day,  the  wind  went 
down,  and  at  sunset  every  thing  was  as  tranquil  as  it 
had  been  the  previous  evening.  I  thought  I  might 
have  been  eight  or  nine  miles  from  the  spot  where 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  45 

the  Dawn  went  down,  without  computing  the  in- 
fluence of  the  currents,  which  may  have  set  me  all 
that  distance  back  again,  or  so  much  further  ahead, 
for  any  thing  I  knew  of  the  matter.  At  sunset  I  took 
an  anxious  survey  of  the  horizon,  to  see  if  any  sail 
were  in  sight ;  but  nothing  wras  visible. 

Another  tranquil  night  gave  me  another  tranquil 
night's  rest.  I  call  the  last  tranquil,  as  it  proved  to 
be  in  one  sense,  though  I  was  sorely  troubled  with 
dreams.  Toward  morning  I  fell  into  a  doze,  the 
fourth  or  fifth  renewal  of  my  slumbers  that  night; 
and  I  remember  that  I  had  that  sort  of  curious  sen- 
sation which  apprises  us  itself  it  was  a  dream.  In 
the  course  of  the  events  that  passed  through  my 
mind,  I  fancied  I  overheard  Marble  and  Neb  con- 
versing. Their  voices  were  low,  and  solemn,  as  I 
thought ;  and  the  words  so  distinct,  that  I  sti^re- 
member  every  syllable. 

"  No,  Neb,"  said  Marble,  or  seemed  to  say,  in  a 
most  sorrowful  tone,  one  I  had  never  heard  him  use 
even  in  speaking  of  his  hermitage.  "There  is  little 
hope  for  Miles,  now.  I  felt  as  if  the  poor  boy  was 
lost  when  I  saw  him  swept  away  from  me,  by  them 
bloody  spars  striking  adrift,  and  set  him  down  as  one 
gone  from  that  moment.  You've  lost  an  A.  No.  1 
master,  .Mister  Neb,  I  can  tell  you,  and  you  may  sarve 
a  hundred  before  you  fall  in  with  his  like  agin." 

"I  nebber  sarve  anoder  gentleum,  Misser  Marble," 
returned  the  black;  "dot  as  sartin  as  gospel.  I  born 
in  'e  Wallingford  family,  and  I  lib  an'  die  in  'e  same 
family,  or  I  don't  want  to  lib  and  die  at  all.    My  real 


46  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

name  be  Wallingford,  dough  folk  do  call  me  Claw- 
bonny 

"  The  ship  is  sartainly  gone  down,  Neb :  otherwise 
she  would  have  been  seen  floating  hereabouts,  and  we 
may  log  him  as  a  man  lost  overboard." 

"P'rhaps  not,  Misser  Marble,"  said  the  negro. 
"  Massa  Mile  swim  like  a  fish,  and  he  isn't  the  gen- 
tleum  to  give  up  as  soon  as  trouble  come.  P'rhaps 
he  swimming  about  all  dis  time." 

"  Miles  could  do  all  that  man  could  do,  Neb,  but 
he  can't  swim  two  hundred  miles — a  South-sea  man 
might  do  something  like  that,  I  do  suppose,  but  they're 
onaccountably  web-footed.  No,  no,  Neb ;  I  fear  we 
shall  have  to  give  him  up.  Providence  swept  him 
away  from  us,  like,  and  we've  lost  him." 

After  this  I  heard  no  more ;  but  every  word  of  that 
which  I  have  related,  sounded  as  plainly  in  my  ears 
as  if  the  speakers  were  within  fifty  feet  of  me.  I  lay 
in  the  same  state  some  time  longer,  endeavoring,  as  I 
was  curious  myself,  of  catching,  or  fancying,  more 
words  from  those  I  loved  so  well ;  but  no  more  came. 
Then  I  believe  I  fell  into  a  deeper  sleep,  for  I  remem- 
ber no  more,  for  hours. 

At  dawn  I  awoke,  the  care  on  my  mind  answering 
for  a  call.  This  time  I  did  not  wait  for  the  sun  to 
shine  in  my  eyes,  but,  of  the  two,  I  rather  preceded 
than  awaited  the  return  of  the  light.  On  standing 
erect,  I  found  the  sea  as  tranquil  as  it  had  been  the 
previous  night,  and  there  was  an  entire  calm.  It  was 
still  so  dusky  that  a  little  examination  was  necessary 
to  be  certain  nothing  wras  near.     The  horizon  was 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  47 

scarcely  clear,  though,  making  my  first  look  toward 
the  east,  objects  were  plainest  in  that  quarter  of  the 
ocean.  I  then  turned  slowly  round,  examining  the 
vast  expanse  of  water  as  I  did  so,  until  my  back  was 
towards  the  approaching  light,  and  I  faced  the  west. 
I  thought  I  saw  a  boat  within  ten  yards  of  me !  At 
first  I  took  it  for  illusion,  and  rubbed  my  eyes  to  make 
sure  that  I  was  awake.  There  it  was,  however,  and 
another  look  satisfied  me  it  was  my  own  launch,  or 
that  in  which  poor  Neb  had  been  carried  overboard. 
"What  was  more,  it  was  floating  in  the  proper  manner, 
appeared  buoyant,  and  had  two  masts  rigged.  It  is 
true  that  it  looked  dusky,  as  objects  appear  just  at 
dawn,  but  it  was  sufficiently  distinct.  I  could  not  be 
mistaken ;  it  was  my  own  launch  thus  thrown  within 
my  reach  by  the  mercy  of  Divine  Providence! 

This  boat,  then,  had  survived  the  gale,  and  the 
winds  and  currents  had  brought  it  and  the  raft  to- 
gether. What  had  become  of  Neb  ?  He  must  have 
rigged  the  masts,  for  none  were  stepped,  of  course, 
when  the  boat  was  in  the  chocks.  Masts,  and  sails, 
and  oars  were  always  kept  in  the  boat,  it  is  true ;  but 
the  first  could  not  be  stepped  without  hands.  A 
strange,  wild  feeling  came  over  me,  as  a  man  might 
be  supposed  to  yield  to  the  appearance  of  supernatural 
agencies,  and,  almost  without  intending  it,  I  shouted, 
"Boat  ahoy!" 

"Yo  boy!"  answered  Marble;  "who  hails?" 
The  form  of  the  mate  appeared  rising  in  the  boat ; 
at  the  next  instant,  Neb  stood  at  his  side.     The  con- 
versation of  the  previous  night  bad  been  real,  and 


48  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

those  whom  I  had  mourned  as  lost  stood  within  thirty 
feet  of  me,  hale,  hearty,  and  unharmed.  The  hoat  and 
raft  had  approached  each  other  in  the  darkness ;  and, 
as  I  afterward  learned,  the  launch  having  fanned  along 
for  several  hours  of  the  night,  stopped  for  want  of 
wind  nearly  where  I  now  saw  her,  and  where  the 
dialogue,  part  of  which  I  overheard  while  half  asleep, 
had  taken  place.  Had  the  launch  continued  on  its 
course  only  ten  yards  further,  it  would  have  hit  the 
fore-top-mast.  That  attraction  of  which  I  have  al- 
ready spoken,  prohahly  kept  the  boat  and  raft  near 
each  other  throughout  the  night,  and  quite  likely 
had  been  slowly  drawing  them  together  while  Ave 
slept. 

It  would  not  be  easy  to  say  which  party  was  the 
most  astonished  at  this  recognition.  There  was  Mar- 
ble, whom  I  had  supposed  washed  off  the  raft,  safe  in 
the  launch ;  and  here  was  I,  whom  the  other  two  had 
thought  to  have  gone  down  in  the  ship,  safe  on  the 
raft !  We  appeared  to  have  changed  places,  without 
concert  and  without  expectation  of  ever  again  meet- 
ing. Though  ignorant  of  the  means  through  which 
all  this  had  been  brought  about,  I  very  well  knoAV 
what  we  did,  as  soon  as  each  man  was  certain  that 
he  saw  the  other  standing  before  him  in  the  flesh. 
We  sat  down  and  wept  like  three  children.  Then 
Neb,  too  impatient  to  wait  for  Marble's  movements, 
threw  himself  into  the  sea,  and  swam  to  the  raft. 
When  he  got  on  the  staging,  the  honest  fellow  kissed 
my  hands,  again  and  again,  blubbering  the  whole 
time  like  a  girl  of  three  or  four  years  of  age.     This 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  40 

scene  was  interrupted  only  by  the  expostulations  and 
proceedings  of  the  mate. 

"  What's  this  you're  doing,  you  bloody  nigger !" 
cried  Marble.  "  Desarting  your  station,  and  leaving 
me  here,  alone,  to  manage  this  heavy  launch,  by  my- 
self. It  might  be  the  means  of  losing  all  hands  of  us 
again,  should  a  hurricane  spring  up  suddenly,  and 
wreck  us  over  again." 

The  truth  was,  Marble  began  to  be  ashamed  of  the 
weakness  he  had  betrayed,  and  was  ready  to  set  upon 
any  thing,  in  order  to  conceal  it.  Neb  put  an  end  to 
this  sally,  however,  by  plunging  again  into  the  water, 
and  swimming  back  to  the  boat,  as  readily  as  he  had 
come  to  the  rait. 

"  Ay,  here  you  are,  Neb,  nigger-like,  and  not  know- 
ing whether  to  stay  or  to  go,"  growled  the  mate,  busy 
the  whole  time  in  shipping  two  oars.  "You  put  me 
in  mind  of  a  great  singer  I  once  heard  in  Liverpool; 
a  chap  that  would  keep  shaking  and  quavering  at  the 
end  of  a  varse,  in  such  a  style  that  he  sometimes  did 
not  know  whether  to  let  go  or  to  hold  on.  It  is  on- 
becoming  in  men  to  forget  themselves,  Neb;  if  we 
have  found  him  we  thought  to  be  lost,  it  is  no  reason 
for  desarting  our  stations,  or  losing  our  wits — Miles, 
my  dear  boy,"  springing  on  the  raft,  and  sending  Xeh 
adrift  again,  all  alone,  by  the  backward  impetus  of 
the  leap — "  Miles,  my  dear  boy,  God  he  praised  for 
this !"  squeezing  both  my  hands  as  in  a  vice — "  I  don't 
know  how  it  is — but  ever  since  I've  fallen  in  with  my 
mother  and  little  Kitty,  L've  gol  to  be  womanish.  I 
suppose  it's  what  you  call  domestic  affection." 
4 


50  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

Here,  Marble  gave  in  once  more,  blubbering  just  as 
hard  as  Neb  himself  had  done. 

A  few  minutes  later,  all  three  began  to  know  what 
we  were  about.  The  launch  was  hauled  up  alongside 
of  the  stage,  and  we  sat  on  the  latter,  relating  the 
manner  in  which  each  of  us  had  been  saved.  First, 
then,  as  to  Neb :  I  have  already  told  the  mode  in 
which  the  launch  was  swept  overboard,  and  I  inferred 
its  loss  from  the  violence  of  the  tempest,  and  the 
height  of  the  seas  that  were  raging  around  us.  It  is 
true,  neither  Marble  nor  I  saw  any  thing  of  the 
launch  after  it  sunk  behind  the  first  hill  of  water  to 
leeward,  for  we  had  too  much  to  attend  to  on  board 
the  ship,  to  have  leisure  to  look  about  us.  But,  it 
seems  the  black  was  enabled  to  maintain  the  boat  the 
right  side  up,  and,  by  baling,  to  keep  her  afloat.  He 
drove  to  leeward,  of  course,  and  the  poor  fellow  de- 
scribed in  vivid  terms  his  sensations,  as  he  saw  the 
rate  at  which  he  was  driving  away  from  the  ship,  and 
the  manner  in  which  he  lost  sight  of  her  remaining 
spars.  As  soon  as  the  wind  would  permit,  however, 
he  stepped  the  masts,  and  set  the  two  luggs  close- 
reefed,  making  stretches  of  three  or  four  miles  in 
length,  to  windward.  This  timely  decision  was  the 
probable  means  of  saving  all  our  lives.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  hours,  after  he  had  got  the  boat  under  com- 
mand, he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  fore-royal-masts 
sticking  out  from  the  cap  of  a  sea,  and  watching  it 
eagerly,  he  next  perceived  the  whole  of  the  raft,  as  it 
came  up  on  the  same  swell,  with  Marble,  half-drowned, 
lashed  to  the  top.     It  w;ts  quite  an  hour  before  Neb 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  51 

could  get  near  enough  to  the  raft,  or  spars,  to  make 
Marble  conscious  of  his  presence,  and  some  time 
longer  ere  he  could  get  the  sufferer  into  the  boat. 
This  rescue  did  not  occur  one  minute  too  soon,  for 
the  mate  admitted  to  me  he  was  half  drowned,  and 
that  he  did  not  think  he  could  have  held  out  much 
longer,  when  Neb  took  him  into  the  boat. 

As  for  food  and  water,  they  fared  well  enough.  A 
breaker  of  fresh  water  was  kept  in  each  boat,  by  my 
standing  orders,  and  it  seems  that  the  cook,  who  was 
a  bit  of  an  epicure  in  his  way,  was  in  the  habit  of 
stowing  a  bag  of  bread,  and  certain  choice  pieces  of 
beef  and  pork,  in  the  bows  of  the  launch,  for  his  own 
special  benefit.  All  these  Neb  had  found,  somewhat 
the  worse  for  salt  water,,  it  is  true,  but  still  in  a  con- 
dition to  be  eaten.  There  was  sufficient  in  the  launch, 
therefore,  when  we  thus  met,  to  sustain  Marble  and 
Neb,  in  good  heart,  for  a  week. 

As  soon  as  the  mate  was  got  off  the  raft,  he  took 
direction  of  (he  launch.  Unluckily,  he  made  a  long 
stretch  to  tin-  northward,  intending  to  tack  and  cross 
what  lie  supposed  must  have  been  the  position  of  the 
ship,  and  come  to  my  relief.  While  the  launch  was 
thus  working  its  way  to  windward,  I  fell  in  with, 
and  took  possession  oft  lie  rait,  as  has  been  described. 
Marble's  calculation  was  a  good  one,  in  the  main; 
brt  it  brought  him  near  the  Dawn  the  night  she 
sank,  and  the  raft  and  boat  were  both  too  low  to  be 
seen  at  any  distance,  the  one  from  the  other.  It  is 
probable  we  were  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  miles 
asunder  the  most  of  the  day  I  was  on  the  raft.  Marble 


52  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

putting  up  his  helm  to  cross  the  supposed  position  of 
the  ship,  about  three  in  the  afternoon.  This  brought 
him  down  upon  the  raft,  about  midnight,  when  the 
conversation  I  have  related  took  place,  within  a  few 
yards  of  me,  neither  party  having  the  least  notion  of 
the  proximity  of  the  other. 

I  was  touched  by  the  manner  in  which  Marble  and 
Neb  spoke  of  my  supposed  fate.  Neither  seemed  to 
remember  that  he  was  washed  away  from  a  ship,  but 
appeared  to  fancy  that  I  was  abandoned  alone,  on 
the  high  seas,  in  a  sinking  vessel.  While  I  had  been 
regretting  their  misfortunes,  they  had  both  thought 
of  me  as  the  party  to  be  pitied  ;  each  fancying  his 
own  fortune  more  happy  than  mine.  In  a  word, 
their  concern  for  me  was  so  great,  that  they  alto- 
gether forgot  to  dwell  on  the  hardships  and  dangers 
of  their  own  particular  cases.  I  could  not  express  all 
I  felt  on  the  occasion ;  but  the  events  of  that  morn- 
ing, and  the  feelings  betrayed  by  my  two  old  ship- 
mates, made  an  impression  on  my  heart,  that  time 
has  not,  nor  ever  can,  efface.  Most  men  who  had 
been  washed  overboard,  would  have  fancied  them- 
selves the  suffering  party ;  but  during  the  remainder 
of  the  long  intercourse  that  succeeded,  both  Marble 
and  Neb  always  alluded  to  this  occurrence  as  if  I  were 
the  person  lost  and  rescued. 

We  were  an  hour  or  more  intently  occupied  in 
these  explanations,  before  either  recollected  the  fu- 
ture. Then  I  felt  it  was  time  to  have  some  thought 
for  our  situation,  which  was  sufficiently  precarious, 
as  it  was  ;  though  Marble  and  Neb  made  light  of  any 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  53 

risks  that  remained  to  be  run.  I  was  saved,  as  it 
might  be,  by  a  miracle;  and  that  was  all  that  they 
could  remember,  just  then;  But  a  breeze  sprang  up 
from  the  eastward,  as  the  sun  appeared,  and  the  agi- 
tation of  the  raft  soon  satisfied  me  that  my  berth 
would  have  been  most  precarious,  had  I  not  been  so 
providentially  relieved.  It  is  true,  Marble  made 
light  of  the  present  state  of  things,  which,  compared 
to  those  into  which  he  had  been  so  suddenly  launched 
— without  food,  water,  or  provisions,  of  any  sort — 
was  a  species  of  paradise.  Nevertheless,  no  time 
was  to  be  wasted  ;  and  Ave  had  a  long  road  to  travel 
in  the  boat,  ere  we  could  deem  ourselves  in  the  least 
safe. 

My  two  associates  had  got  the  launch  in  as  good 
order  as  circumstances  would  allow.  But  it  wanted 
ballast  to  carry  sail  hard,  and  they  had  felt  this  dis- 
advantage, particularly  Neb,  when  he  first  got  the 
boat  on  a  wind.  I  could  understand,  by  his  account 
of  the  difficulties  and  dangers  he  experienced — 
though  it  came  out  incidentally,  and  without  the 
smallest  design  to  magnify  his  own  merits — that 
nothing  but  his  undying  interest  in  me,  could  have 
prevented  him  from  running  off  before  the  wind,  in 
order  to  save  his  own  life.  An  opportunity  now 
offered  to  remedy  this  evil,  and  we  went  to  work  to 
transfer  all  the  effects  I  had  placed  on  the  stage,  to  the 
launch.  They  made  a  little  cargo  that  gave  her  sta- 
bility at  once.  As  soon  as  this  was  done,  we  entered 
the  boat,    made   sail,   and    hauled    close  on  a  wind, 


54  STORIES  or  tup;  sea. 

under  reefed  luggs  ;  it  beginning  to  blow  smartly  in 
pnffs. 

I  did  not  part  from  the  raft  without  melancholy 
regrets.  The  materials  of  which  it  was  composed 
were  all  that  now  remained  of  the  Dawn.  Then  the 
few  hours  of  jeopardy  and  loneliness  I  had  passed  on 
it,  were  not  to  be  forgotten.  They  still  recur  vividly 
to  my  thoughts  with  deep,  and  I  trust,  profitable,  re- 
flections. The  first  hour  after  Ave  cast  off,  we  stood 
to  the  southward.  The  wind  continuing  to  increase 
in  violence,  and  the  sea  to  get  up,  until  it  blew  too 
fresh  for  the  boat  to  make  any  headway,  or  even  to 
hold  her  own  against  it,  Marble  thought  he  might 
do  better  on  the  other  tack — having  some  reason  to 
suppose  there  was  a  current  setting  to  the  southward 
and  eastward — and  we  wore  round.  After  standing 
to  the  northward  for  a  sufficient  length  of  time,  we 
again  fell  in  with  the  spars — a  proof  that  Ave  were 
doing  nothing  tOAvard  Avorking  our  Avay  to  AvindAvard. 
I  determined,  at  once,  to  make  fast  to  them,  and  use 
them  as  a  sort  of  floating  anchor,  so  long  as  the  foul 
wind  lasted.  We  had  some  difficulty  in  effecting 
this  object;  but  Ave  finally  succeeded  in  getting  near 
enough,  under  the  lee  of  the  top,  to  make  fast  to  one 
of  its  eye-bolts— using  a  bit  of  small  hawser,  that 
av.ms  in  the  boat,  for  that  purpose.  The  boat  was 
then  dropped  a  sufficient  distance  to  leeward  of  the 
spars,  where  it  rode  head  to  sea,  like  a  duck.  This 
was  a  fortunate  expedient;  as  it  came  on  to  blow 
hard,  and  we  had  something  very  like  a  little  gale  of 
Avind. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  55 

As  soon  as  the  launch  was  thus  moored,  we  found 
its  advantage.  It  shipped  no  more  water,  or  very 
little,  and  we  were  not  compelled  to  be  on  the  look- 
out for  squalls,  which  occurred  every  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes,  with  a  violence  that  it  would  not  do  to  trifle 
with.  The  weather  thickened  at  these  moments; 
and  there  were  intervals  of  half  an  hour  at  a  time, 
when  we  could  not  see  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
boat,  on  account  of  the  drizzling,  misty  rain  that 
filled  the  atmosphere.  There  Ave  sat,  conversing 
sometimes  of  the  past,  sometimes  of  the  future,  a 
bubble  in  the  midst  of  the  raging  waters  of  the  At- 
lantic, filled  with  the  confidence  of  seamen.  AVith 
the  stout  boat  we  possessed,  the  food  and  water  we 
had,  I  do  not  think  either  now  felt  any  great  concern 
for  his  fate ;  it  being  possible,  in  moderate  weather, 
to  run  the  launch  far  enough  to  reach  an  English  port 
in  about  a  week.  Favored  by  even  a  tolerably  fair 
wind,  the  object  might  be  eftected  in  even  two  or 
three  days. 

I  was  on  the  point  of  responding  to  a  question  of 
Marble's  when  a  sort  of  shadow  was  suddenly  cast  on 
the  boat,  and  I  fancied  the  rushing  of  the  water  seemed 
to  he  increased  at  the  same  instant.  We  all  three  sat 
with  our  faces  to  leeward,  and  all  turned  them  to 
windward  under  a  common  impulse.  A  shout  burst 
from  Marble's  throat,  and  a  sight  met  my  ryes,  that 
caused  the  blood  to  rush  in  a  torrent  through  my 
heart.  Literally  within  a  hundred  feet  of  us,  was  a 
large  ship,  ploughing  the  ocean  with  a  furrow  that 
e  to  her  hawsedioles,  and  piling  before  her,  in  her 


56  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

track,  a  mound  of  foam,  as  she  came  down  upon  us, 
with  top-mast  and  lower  studding-sails  set — over- 
shadowing the  sea,  like  some  huge  cloud.  There  Avas 
scarcely  time  for  more  than  a  glance,  ere  this  ship 
was  nearly  upon  us.  As  she  rose  on  a  swell,  her 
black  sides  came  up  out  of  the  ocean,  glittering  and 
dripping,  and  the  line  of  frowning  guns  seemed  as  if 
just  lacquered.  Neb  was  in  the  bow  of  the  launch, 
while  I  was  in  the  stern.  My  arm  was  extended  in- 
voluntarily, or  instinctively  would  be  the  better  word, 
to  avert  the  danger,  when  it  seemed  to  me  that  the 
next  send  of  the  ship  would  crush  us  beneath  the 
bright  copper  of  her  bottom.  Without  Neb's  strength 
and  presence  of  mind,  we  had  been  lost  beyond  a 
hope ;  for  swimming  up  to  the  spars  against  the  sea 
that  was  on,  would  have  been  next  to  hopeless  ;  and 
even  if  there,  without  food,  or  water,  our  fate  would 
have  been  sealed.  But  Neb  seized  the  hawser  by 
which  we  were  riding,  and  hauled  the  launch  ahead 
her  length,  or  more,  before  the  frigate's  larboard 
bower-anchor  settled  down  in  a  way  that  menaced 
crushing  us.  As  it  was,  I  actually  laid  a  hand  on  the 
muzzle  of  the  third  gun,  while  the  ship  went  foaming 
by.  At  the  next  instant  she  was  past ;  and  we  were 
safe.  Then  all  three  of  us  shouted  together.  Until 
that  moment,  none  in  the  frigate  were  aware  of  our 
vicinity.  But  the  shout  gave  the  alarm,  and  as  the 
ship  cleared  us,  her  taffrail  was  covered  with  officers. 
Among  them  was  one  grey-headed  man,  whom  I 
recognized  by  his  dress  for  the  captain.  He  made  a 
gesture,  turning  an  arm  upward,  and  I  knew  an  order 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  57 

was  given  immediately  after,  by  the  instantaneous 
manner  in  which  the  taffrail  was  cleared. 

"By  George!"  exclaimed  Marble,  "I  had  a  gen- 
eralizing time  of  it,  for  half  a  dozen  seconds,  Miles." 

"  There  was  more  risk,"  I  answered,  "  than  time  to 
reflect  on  it.  However,  the  ship  is  about  to  round-to, 
and  we  shall  be  picked  up,  at  last.  Let  us  thank  God 
for  this." 

It  was  indeed  a  beautiful  sight  for  a  seaman,  to 
note  the  manner  in  which  that  old  captain  handled 
his  vessel.  Although  we  found  the  wind  and  sea  too 
much  for  a  boat  that  had  to  turn  to  windward, 
neither  was  of  much  moment  to  a  stout  frigate,  that 
carried  fifty  guns,  and  which  was  running  off  with 
the  wind  on  her  quarter. 

She  was  hardly  past  us,  when  I  could  see  prepara- 
tions making  to  take  in  canvas.  At  the  instant  she 
overshadowed  us  with  her  huge  wings,  this  vessel 
had  top-gallant-sails  set,  with  two  top-mast,  and  a 
lower  studding-sail,  besides  carrying  the  lee-clew  of 
her  main-sail  down,  and  the  other  customary  cloth 
spread.  IT})  went  her  main-sail,  almost  as  soon  as 
the  captain  made  the  signal  with  his  arm ;  then  all 
three  of  the  top-gallant-sails  were  flying  at  the  same 
moment.  Presently,  the  yards  were  alive  with  men, 
and  the  loose  canvas  was  rolled  up,  and  the  gaskets 
] Hissed.  While  this  was  doing,  down  came  all  the 
studding-sails  together,  much  as  a  bird  shuts  its 
wings.    The  booms  disappeared  immediately  after. 

"  Look  at  that,  Miles  I"  cried  the  delighted  Marble, 
"That  chap  leaves  nothing  to  be  done  over  again. 


58  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

He  puts  every  thing  in  its  place,  like  an  old  woman 
stowing  away  her  needles  and  thread.  I'll  warrant 
you  the  old  blade  is  a  keen  one  !" 

"  The  ship  is  well  handled,  certainly,  and  her  people 
work  like  mariners  who  are  trying  to  save  the  lives 
of  mariners." 

While  this  was  passing  between  us,  the  frigate  was 
stripped  to  her  three  top-sails,  spanker,  jib,  and  fore- 
course.  Down  came  her  yards  next ;  and  then  they 
were  covered  with  blue-jackets,  like  bees  clustering 
around  a  hive.  We  had  scarcely  time  to  note  this, 
ere  the  men  lay  in,  and  the  yards  were  up  again,  with 
the  sails  reefed.  This  was  no  sooner  done,  than  the 
frigate,  which  had  luffed  the  instant  the  steering-sails 
were  in,  was  trimmed  close  on  a  wind,  and  began  to 
toss  the  water  over  her  sprit-sail-yard,  as  she  met  the 
waves  like  one  that  paid  them  no  heed.  No  sooner 
was  the  old  seaman  who  directed  all  this,  assured  of 
the  strength  of  the  wind  he  had  to  meet,  than  down 
went  his  main-sail  again,  and  the  tack  was  hauled 
aboard. 

The  stranger  was  then  under  the  smartest  canvas 
a  frigate  can  carry  ;  reefs  in  her  top-sails,  with  the 
courses  set.  Her  sail  could  be  shortened  in  an  in- 
stant, yet  she  was  under  a  press  of  it;  more  than  an 
ordinary  vessel  would  presume  to  carry,  perhaps,  in 
so  strong  a  breeze. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  jeopardy  from  which  we 
had  just  escaped,  and  the  imminent  hazard  so  lately 
run,  all  three  of  us  watched  the  movements  of  the 
frigate  with  as  much  satisfaction  as  a  connoisseur 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  59 

would  examine  a  fine  painting.  Even  Neb  let  several 
nigger  expressions  of  pleasure  escape  him. 

By  the  time  sail  could  be  shortened  and  the  ship 
hauled  close  on  a  wind,  the  frigate  was  nearer  half 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off.  We  had  to  wait,  there- 
fox-e,  until  she  could  beat  up  to  the  place  where  we 
lay.  This  she  soon  did,  making  one  stretch  to  the 
southward,  until  in  a  line  with  the  boat,  when  she 
tacked,  and  came  toward  us,  with  her  yards  braced 
up,  but  having  the  wind  nearly  abeam.  As  she  got 
within  a  cable's-length,  both  courses  were  hauled  up, 
and  left  hanging  in  the  brails.  Then  the  noble  craft 
came  rolling  by  us,  in  the  trough,  passing  so  near 
that  we  might  be  spoken.  The  old  officer  stood  in 
the  weather  gang-Avay,  with  a  trumpet,  and  he  hailed, 
when  near  enough  to  be  heard.  Instead  of  asking 
questions,  to  satisfy  his  own  curiosity,  he  merely  com- 
municated his  own  intentions. 

"I'll  heave-to,  when  past  you,"  he  cried  out,  "wear- 
ing ship  to  do  so.  You  can  then  drop  down  under 
my  stern,  as  close  as  possible,  and  we'll  throw  you  a 
rope." 

I  understood  the  plan,  which  Avas  considerate,  hav- 
ing a  regard  to  the  feebleness  of  our  boat's  crew,  and 
the  weight  of  the  boat  itself  Accordingly,  when  she 
had  room  enough,  the  frigate  wore,  hauling  up  close 
on  the  other  tack,  and  laying  her  main-yard  square. 
As  soon  as  the  ship  was  stationary,  Neb  east  off  the 
hawser,  and  Marble  ami  he  manned  two  oars.  AN  e 
got  the  boat  round  without  much  risk,  and,  in  less 
time  than  it  takes  to  write  it,  were  sending  down  to- 


60  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

ward  the  ship  at  a  furious  rate.  I  steered,  and  passed 
so  near  the  frigate's  rudder,  that  I  thought,  for  an 
instant,  I  had  gone  too  close.  A  rope  was  hove  as 
we  cleared  the  lee-quarter  of  the  frigate,  and  the  peo- 
ple on  board  hauled  us  alongside.  We  caught  the 
man-ropes,  and  were  soon  on  the  quarter-deck.  A 
respectable-looking  elderly  man,  of  a  square,  compact 
frame,  and  a  fine  ruddy  English  face,  in  a  post-cap- 
tain's undress,  received  me,  with  an  extended  hand, 
and  a  frank,  generous,  hearty  manner. 

"  You  are  welcome  on  board  the  Briton,"  he  said, 
warmly ;  "  and  I  thank  God  that  he  has  put  it  in  our 
power  to  relieve  you.  Your  ship  must  have  been  lost 
quite  recently,  as  you  do  not  seem  to  have  suffered. 
When  you  feel  equal  to  it,  I  should  like  to  hear  the 
name  of  your  vessel,  and  the  particulars  of  her  dis- 
aster. I  suppose  it  was  in  the  late  blow,  which  was 
a  whacker,  and  did  lots  of  mischief  along  the  coast. 
I  see  you  are  Americans,  and  that  your  boat  is  New 
York  built ;  but  all  men  in  distress  are  countrymen." 

This  was  a  hearty  reception,  and  one  I  had  every 
reason  to  extol.  So  long  as  I  stayed  with  Captain 
Rowley,  as  this  officer  was  named,  I  had  no  reason  to 
complain  of  any  change  in  his  deportment.  Had  I 
been  his  son,  he  could  not  have  treated  me  more  kind- 
ly, taking  me  into  his  own  cabin,  and  giving  me  a 
seat  at  his  own  table.  I  gave  him  an  outline  of  what 
had  happened  to  us.  Captain  Rowley  had  no  sooner 
heard  my  story,  which  I  made  as  short  as  possible, 
than  he  again  took  my  hand,  and  welcomed  me  to  his 
ship.     The  mate  was  sent  into  the  gun-room,  and 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  61 

recommended  to  the  hospitality  of  the  lieutenants  ; 
while  Neb  was  placed  in  the  care  of  the  cabin  serv- 
ants. A  short  consultation  was  then  held  about  the 
boat,  which  it  was  decided  must  be  sent  adrift,  after 
my  effects  were  passed  out  of  it ;  the  Briton  having  no 
use  for  such  a  launch,  nor  any  place  to  stow  it.  I 
stood  at  the  gang-way,  and  looked  with  a  melancholy 
eye  at  this  last  remnant  of  the  Dawn  that  I  ever  be- 
held. 


62  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 


THE  RED   ROVER. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  effective  descriptions  of  a 
sea-battle  is  afforded  by  Mr.  Cooper,  in  his  popular 
romance  of  "  The  Red  Rover."  It  is  an  account  of  a 
struggle  Avith  a  famous  pirate,  [known  by  the  name 
given  to  the  book,]  but  in  which  unfortunately  the 
"Rover"  wras  successful.  In  order  to  understand 
the  account  a  few  circumstances  must  be  explained. 
Lieutenant  Henry  Ark,  attached  to  His  Majesty's 
ship,  the  "  Dart,"  prompted  by  a  desire  to  bring  this 
famous  pirate  to  justice,  under  the  name  of  Wilder, 
succeeds  in  introducing  himself  into  the  vessel  of  the 
Rover,  with  two  sailors,  Richard  or  Fid,  and  Scipio, 
an  African.  He  receives  the  appointment  of  second 
in  command  from  the  pirate,  who  unaccountably  feels 
a  very  profound  interest  for  the  young  officer ;  and  is 
afterward  put  in  charge  of  a  trading  vessel,  "  The 
Royal  Caroline,"  which  is  on  a  voyage  from  New- 
port, in  Rhode  Island,  to  a  Southern  port,  and  which 
it  is  the  pirate's  intention  in  due  time  to  capture  upou 
the  seas.  But  this  vessel  is  wrecked,  and  Lieutenant 
Wilder,  with  two  lady  passengers,  Mrs.  Wyllys, 
and  her  ward  Gertrude  Grayson,  are  saved  in  the 
small  boat  of  the  vessel,  and  picked  up  by  the  pirate. 
This  pirate,  or,  "  Red  Rover,"  is  so  different  a  man 
from  what  Lieutenant  Ark,  or,  calling  him  by  his 
assumed  name,  Wilder,  supposed,  so  far  less  blood- 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  63 

thirsty  and  cruel,  and  evinces  toward  him  and  the 
ladies  so  much  consideration  and  good  feeling,  that 
Wilder,  when  the  pirate  vessel  crosses  the  path  of  the 
English  war-ship,  the  "  Dart,"  feels  reluctant  to  carry- 
out  his  original  plan  of  entrapping  the  "  Rover"  into 
the  hands  of  the  English  commander,  Captain  Bignall. 
The  period  of  the  story  was  a  short  time  before  our 
own  Avar  for  independence.  The  "  Rover"  Avas  born 
in  the  Colonies,  and  the  principal  motive  of  his  unlaw- 
ful career  Avas  hatred  of  the  British,  at  Avhose  hands 
he  had  suffered  some  great  indignities.  Lieutenant 
Wilder  Avas  a  foundling,  having  been  found  on  a 
Avreck  Avhen  an  infant,  by  the  tAVO  sailors,  Fid  and 
Scipio.  The  particulars  of  this  event  are  so  very  in- 
teresting, as  told  by  Fid  himself  to  the  ladies  in  the 
presence  of  the  "  Rover,"  that  before  proceeding  to 
extract  the  account  of  the  battle,  we  will  first  give 
you 

fid's  story. 

" '  You  Avere  saying,  it  is  four  and  tAventy  years,' 
interrupted  Mis.  Wyllys,  'since  you  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Mr.  Wilder?' 

"'Acquaintance!'  (replied  Fid,  to  this  remark  from 
the  elder  of  the  two  lady  passengers.)  'Acquaint- 
ance! Lord,  my  lady,  little  did  he  knoAV  of  ac- 
quaintances at  that  time  ;  though,  bless  him!  the  lad 
has  had  occasion  to  remember  it  often  enough  since.' 

"'The  meeting' of  two  men  of  so  singular  merit, 
must  have  been  somewhat  remarkable,'  observed  the 
Rover. 


64:  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  '  It  was,  for  that  matter,  remarkable  enough, 
your  honor ;  though,  as  to  the  merit,  notwithstand- 
ing Master  Harry  is  often  for  overhauling  that  part 
of  the  account,  I've  set  it  down  for  just  nothing  at 
all.' 

"  '  I  confess  that,  in  a  case  where  two  men,  both 
of  whom  are  so  well  qualified  to  judge,  are  of  differ- 
ent opinions,  I  feel  at  a  loss  to  know  which  can  have 
the  right.  Perhaps  by  the  aid  of  the  facts  I  might 
form  a  truer  judgment.' 

"  '  Your  honor  forgets  the  Guinea,  who  is  alto- 
gether of  my  mind  in  the  matter,  seeing  no  great 
merit  in  the  thing  either.  But,  as  you  are  saying, 
sir,  reading  the  log  is  the  only  true  way  to  know  how 
fast  a  ship  can  go  ;  and  so,  if  this  lady  and  your 
honor  have  a  mind  to  come  at  the  truth  of  the  affair, 
why,  you  have  only  to  say  as  much,  and  I  will  put  it 
all  before  you  in  creditable  language.' 

"'Ah!  there  is  reason  in  your  proposition,'  re- 
turned the  Rover,  motioning  to  his  companion  to  fol- 
low to  a  part  of  the  poop  where  they  were  less  ex- 
posed to  the  observations  of  inquisitive  eyes.  '  Now, 
place  the  whole  clearly  before  us  ;  and  then  you  may 
consider  the  merits  of  the  question  disposed  of  defini- 
tively.' 

"  Fid  was  far  from  discovering  the  smallest  reluc- 
tance to  enter  on  the  required  detail ;  and,  by  the 
time  he  had  cleared  his  throat,  freshened  his  supply  of 
the  weed,  and  otherwise  disposed  himself  to  proceed, 
Mrs.  Wyllys  had  so  far  conquered  her  reluctance 
to  pry  clandestinely  into  the  secrets  of  others,  as  to 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  65 

yield  to  a  curiosity  which  she  found  unconquerable, 
and  to  take  the  seat  to  which  her  companion  invited 
her  by  a  gesture  of  his  hand. 

" '  I  was  sent  early  to  sea,  your  honor,  by  my  fa- 
ther,' commenced  Fid,  after  these  little  preliminaries 
had  been  duly  observed,  '  who  was,  like  myself,  a 
man  that  passed  more  of  his  time  on  the  water  than 
on  dry  ground ;  though,  as  he  was  nothing  more  than 
a  fisherman,  he  generally  kept  the  land  aboard,  which 
is,  after  all,  little  better  than  living  on  it  altogether. 
Howsomever,  when  I  went,  I  made  a  broad  ofling  at 
once,  fetching  up  on  the  other  side  of  the  Horn,  the 
very  first  passage  I  made  ;  which  was  no  small  jour- 
ney for  a  new  beginner ;  but  then,  as  I  was  only 
eight  years  old' 

" '  Eight !  you  are  now  speaking  of  yourself,'  inter- 
rupted the  disappointed  governess. 

"  '  Certain,  madam  ;  and,  though  genteeler  people 
might  be  talked  of,  it  would  be  hard  to  turn  the  con- 
versation on  any  man  who  knows  better  how  to  rig 
or  how  to  strip  a  ship.  I  was  beginning  at  the  right 
end  of  my  story  ;  but,  as  I  fancied  your  ladyship 
might  not  choose  to  waste  time  in  hearing  concern- 
ing my  father  and  mother,  I  cut  the  matter  short,  by 
striking  in  at  eight  years  old,  overlooking  all  about 
my  birth  and  name,  and  such  other  matters  as  are 
usually  logged,  in  a  fashion  out  of  all  reason,  in  your 
every  day  sort  of  narratives.' 

"'Proceed,'  she  rejoined,  with  a  species  of  com- 
pelled resignation. 

"  '  My  mind  is  pretty  much  like  a  ship  that  is  about 
5 


6Q  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

to  slip  off  its  ways,'  resumed  Fid.  '  If  she  makes  a 
fair  start,  and  there  is  neither  jam  nor  dry-rub,  smack 
she  goes  into  the  water,  like  a  sail  let  run  in  a  calm ; 
but,  if  she  once  brings  up,  a  good  deal  of  labor  is  to 
be  gone  through  to  set  her  in  motion  again.  Now, 
in  order  to  wedge  up  my  ideas,  and  to  get  the  story 
slushed,  so  that  I  can  slip  through  it  with  ease,  it  is 
needful  to  overrun  the  part  which  I  have  just  let  go  : 
which  is,  how  my  father  was  a  fisherman,  and  how  I 
doubled  the  Horn' — ah !  here  I  have  it  again,  clear  of 
kinks,  fake  above  fake,  like  a  well-coiled  cable ;  so 
that  I  can  pay  it  out  as  -easily  as  the  boatswain's  yeo- 
man can  lay  his  hand  on  a  bit  of  ratline  stuff.  Y^ell, 
I  doubled  the  Horn,  as  I  was  saying,  and  might  have 
been  the  matter  of  four  years  cruising  about  among 
the  islands  and  seas  of  those  parts,  which  were  none 
of  the  best  known  then,  or  for  that  matter  now. 
After  this,  I  served  in  his  majesty's  fleet  a  whole 
war,  and  got  as  much  honor  as  I  could  stow  beneath 
hatches.  Well,  then,  I  fell  in  Avith  the  Guinea — the 
black,  my  lady,  that  you  see  turning  in  a  new 
clue-garnet-block  for  the  starboard  clue  of  the  fore- 
course.' 

"  '  Ay ;  then  you  fell  in  with  the  African,'  said  the 
Rover. 

" '  Then  we  made  our  acquaintance  ;  and,  although 
his  color  is  no  whiter  than  the  back  of  a  whale,  I  care 
not  who  knows  it,  after  Master  Harry,  there  is  no 
man  living  who  has  an  honester  way  with  him,  or  in 
whose  company  I  take  greater  satisfaction.  To  be 
sure,  your  honor,  the  fellow  is  something  contradic- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  67 

tory,  and  has  a  great  opinion  of  his  strength,  and 
thinks  his  equal  is  not  to  be  found  at  a  weather-ear- 
ing, or  in  the  bunt  of  a  topsail ;  but  then  he  is  no 
better  than  a  black,  and  one  is  not  to  be  too  particu- 
lar in  looking  into  the  faults  of  such  as  are  not  actu- 
ally his  fellow-creatures.' 

"  '  Xo,  no ;  that  would  be  uncharitable  in  the  ex- 
treme.' 

" '  The  very  words  the  chaplain  used  to  let  fly 
aboard  the  '  Brunswick  !'  It  is  a  great  thing  to  have 
schooling,  your  honor  ;  since,  if  it  does  nothing  else, 
it  fits  a  man  for  a  boatswain,  and  puts  him  in  the 
track  of  steering  the  shortest  course  to  heaven.  But, 
as  I  was  saying,  there  was  I  and  Guinea  shipmates, 
and  in  a  reasonable  way  friends,  for  live  years  more ; 
and  then  the  time  arrived  when  we  met  with  the  mis- 
hap of  the  wreck  in  the  West-Indies.' 

"  '  What  wreck  V1  demanded  his  officer. 

"'I  beg  your  honor's  pardon;  I  never  swing  my 
head-yards  till  I'm  sure  the  ship  won't  luff"  back  into 
the  wind  ;  and,  before  I  tell  the  particulars  of  the 
wreck,  I  will  overrun  my  ideas,  to  see  that  nothing  is 
forgotten  that  should  of  right  be  first  mentioned.' 

"The  Rover,  who  saw,  by  the  uneasy  glances  that 
she  cast  aside,  and  by  the  expression  of  her  counten- 
ance, how  impatient  liis  companion  was  becoming  for 
a  sequel  that  approached  so  tardily,  and  how  much 
she  dreaded  an  interruption,  made  a  significant  sign 
to  her  to  permit  the  straight-going  tar  to  take  his  own 
Course,  as  the  hest  means  of  coming  at  the  facts  they 
both  longed   so  much  to  hear.     Left  to  himself,  Fid 


68  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

soon  took  the  necessary  review  of  the  transactions,  in 
his  own  quaint  manner ;  and,  having  happily  found 
that  nothing  which  he  considered  as  germain  to  the 
present  relation  was  omitted,  he  proceeded  at  once  to 
the  more  material,  and  what  was  to  his  auditors  by 
far  the  most  interesting,  portion  of  his  narrative. 

"  '  Well,  as  I  was  telling  your  honor,'  he  continued, 
'  Guinea  was  then  a  maintopman,  and  I  was  stationed 
in  the  same  place  aboard  the  '  Proserpine,'  a  quick- 
going  two-and  thirty,  when  we  fell  in  with  a  bit  of  a 
smuggler,  between  the  islands  and  the  Spanish  Main ; 
and  so  the  captain  made  a  prize  of  her,  and  ordered 
her  into  port ;  for  which  I  have  always  supposed,  as 
he  was  a  sensible  man,  he  had  his  orders.  But  this  is 
neither  here  nor  there,  seeing  that  the  craft  had  got 
to  the  end  of  her  rope,  and  foundered  in  a  heavy 
hurricane  that  came  over  us,  mayhap  a  couple  of  day's 
run  to  leeward  of  our  haven.  Well,  she  was  a  small 
boat ;  and,  as  she  took  it  into  her  mind  to  roll  over  on 
her  side  before  she  went  to  sleep,  the  master's  mate 
in  charge,  and  three  others,  slid  off  her  decks  to  the 
bottom  of  the  sea,  as  I  have  always  had  reason  to  be- 
lieve, never  having  heard  any  thing  to  the  contrary. 
It  was  here  that  Guinea  first  served  me  the  good  turn  ; 
for,  though  we  had  often  before  shared  hunger  and 
thirst  together,  this  was  the  first  time  he  ever  jumped 
overboard  to  keep  me  from  taking  in  salt  water  like 
a  fish.' 

"  '  He  kept  you  from  drowning  with  the  rest  ?' 
"  '  I'll  not   say  just  that   much,  your  honor ;  for 
there  is  no  knowing  what  lucky  accident  might  have 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  69 

done  the  same  good  turn  for  me.  Howsomever,  see- 
ing that  I  can  swim  no  better  nor  worse  than  a  dou- 
ble-headed shot,  I  have  always  been  willing  to  give 
the  black  credit  for  as  much,  though  little  has  ever 
been  said  between  us  on  the  subject ;  for  no  other 
reason,  as  I  can  see,  than  that  settling-day  has  not 
yet  come.  Well,  we  contrived  to  get  the  boat  afloat, 
and  enough  into  it  to  keep  soul  and  body  together, 
and  made  the  best  of  our  way  for  the  land,  seeing  that 
the  cruise  was,  to  all  useful  purposes,  over  in  that 
smuggler.  I  needn't  be  particular  in  telling  this  lady 
of  the  nature  of  boat-duty,  as  she  has  lately  had  some 
experience  in  that  way  herself;  but  I  can  tell  her  this 
much :  had  it  not  been  for  that  boat  in  which  the 
black  and  myself  spent  the  better  part  of  ten  days,  she 
would  have  fared  but  badly  in  her  own  navigation.' 

"  '  Explain  your  meaning.' 

"  '  My  meaning  is  plain  enough,  your  honor,  which 
is  that  little  else  than  the  handy  way  of  Master  Harry 
in  a  boat  could  have  kept  the  Bristol  trader's  launch 
above  water,  the  day  we  fell  in  with  it.' 

"'But  in  what  manner  was  your  own  shipwreck 
connected  with  the  safety  of  Mr.  Wilder?'  demanded 
the  governess,  unable  any  longer  to  await  the  dilatory 
explanation  of  the  prolix  seaman. 

"'In  a  very  plain  ami  natural  fashion,  my  lady,  as 
fou  will  say  yourself,  when  you  come  to  hear  the 
pitiful  part  of  my  tale.  Well,  there  were  I  and  Guinea, 
rowing  about  in  the  ocean,  on  short  allowance  of  all 
things  but  work,  for  two  nights  and  a  day,  heading-ill 
for  the  islands  ;  for,  though  no  great  navigators,  we 


70  6T0KIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

could  smell  the  land,  and  so  we  pulled  away  lustily, 
when  you  consider  it  was  a  race  in  which  life  was  the 
wager,  until  we  made,  in  the  pride  of  the  morning,  as 
it  might  be  here,  at  east-and-by-south,  a  ship  under 
bare  poles  ;  if  a  vessel  can  be  called  bare  that  had 
nothing  better  than  the  stumps  of  her  three  masts 
standing,  and  they  without  rope  or  rag  to  tell  one 
her  rig  or  nation.  Howsomever,  as  there  were  three 
naked  sticks  left,  I  have  always  put  her  down  for  a 
full-rigged  ship ;  and,  when  we  got  nigh  enough  to 
take  a  look  at  her  hull,  I  made  bold  to  say  she  was  of 
English  build.' 

"  '  You  boarded  her,'  observed  the  Rover. 

" '  A  small  task  that,  your  honor,  since  a  starved 
dog  was  the  whole  crew  she  could  muster  to  keep  us 
off.  It  was  a  solemn  sight  when  we  got  on  her  decks, 
and  one  that  bears  hard  on  my  manhood,'  continued 
Fid,  with  an  air  that  grew  more  serious  as  he  pro- 
ceeded, '  whenever  I  have  occasion  to  overhaul  the 
log-book  of  memory.' 

"  '  You  found  her  people  suffering  of  want!' 

"  '  "We  found  a  noble  ship,  as  helpless  as  a  hallibut 
in  a  tub.  There  she  lay,  a  craft  of  some  four  hundred 
tons,  water-logged,  and  motionless  as  a  church.  It 
always  gives  me  great  reflection,  sir,  when  I  see  a 
noble  vessel  brought  to  such  a  strait ;  for  one  may 
liken  her  to  a  man  who  has  been  docked  of  his  fins, 
and  who  is  getting  to  be  good  for  little  else  than  to 
be  set  upon  a  cat-head  to  look  out  for  squalls.' 

" '  The  ship  -was  then  deserted  V 

" '  Ay,  the  people  had  left  her,  sir,  or  had  been 


STOEIES    OF   THE    SEA.  71 

washed  away  in  the  gust  that  had  laid  her  ovei\  I 
never  could  come  at  the  truth  of  them  particulars. 
The  dog  had  been  mischievous,  I  conclude,  about  the 
decks ;  and  so  he  had  been  lashed  to  a  timber-head, 
the  which  saved  his  life,  since,  happily  for  him  he 
found  himself  on  the  weather-side  when  the  hull  right- 
ed a  little,  after  her  spars  gave  way.  Well,  sir  there 
was  the  dog,  and  not  much  else,  as  Ave  could  see, 
though  we  spent  half  a  day  in  rummaging  round,  in 
order  to  pick  up  any  small  matter  that  might  be  use- 
ful ;  but  then,  as  the  entrance  to  the  hold  and  cabin 
was  full  of  water,  why,  Ave  made  no  great  affair  of  the 
salvage,  after  all.' 

"  '  And  then  you  left  the  wreck  ?' 

" '  Not  yet,  your  honor.  While  knocking  about 
among  the  bits  of  rigging  and  lumber  above  board, 
says  Guinea,  says  he,  '  Mister  Dick,  I  hear  some  one 
making  their  plaints  beloAV.'  Noav,  I  had  heard  the 
same  noises  myself,  sir;  but  had  set  them  down  as  the 
sph-its  of  the  people  moaning  over  their  losses,  and 
had  said  nothing  of  the  same,  for  fear  of  stirring  up 
the  superstition  of  the  black  ;  for  the  best  of  them  are 
no  better  than  superstitious  niggers,  my  lady ;  so  I 
said  nothing  of  what  I  had  heard,  until  he  saw  fit  to 
broach  the  subject  himself.  Then  Ave  both  turned-to 
to  listening  with  a  will ;  and  sure  enough  the  groans 
began  t"  take  a  human  sound.  It  Avas  a  good  Avhile, 
howsomever,  before  I  could  make  up  whether  it  was 
any  thing  more  than  the  complaining  of  the  hulk  it- 
self; for  you  know,  my  lady,  that  a  ship  which  is 


72  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

about  to  sink  makes  her  lamentations  just  like  any 
other  living  thing.' 

"  '  I  do,  I  do,'  returned  the  governess,  shuddering. 
'  I  have  heard  them,  and  never  will  my  memory  lose 
the  recollection  of  the  sounds.' 

"  '  Ay,  I  thought  you  might  know  something  of  the 
same  ;  and  solemn  groans  they  are :  hut,  as  the  hulk 
kept  rolling  on  the  top  of  the  sea,  and  no  further  signs 
of  her  going  down,  I  began  to  think  it  best  to  cut  into 
her  abaft,  in  order  to  make  sui'e  that  some  miserable 
wretch  had  not  been  caught  in  his  hammock  at  the 
time  she  went  over.  Well,  good-will,  and  an  axe, 
soon  let  us  into  the  secret  of  the  moans.' 

'"You  found  a  child?' 

"  '  And  its  mother,  my  lady.  As  good  luck  would 
have  it,  they  were  in  a  berth  on  the  weather-side  and 
as  yet  the  water  had  not  reached  them.  But  pent 
air  and  hunger  had  nearly  proved  as  bad  as  the  brine. 
The  lady  was  in  the  agony  when  we  got  her  out ;  and 
as  to  the  boy,  proud  and  strong  as  you  now  see  him 
there  on  yonder  gun,  my  lady,  he  was  just  so  miser- 
able, that  it  was  no  small  matter  to  make  him  swallow 
the  drop  of  wine  and  water  that  the  Lord  had  left  us, 
in  order,  as  I  have  often  thought  since,  to  bring  him  up 
to  be,  as  he  at  this  moment  is,  the  pride  of  the  ocean !' 

"  '  But,  the  mother  ?' 

"  'The  mother  had  given  the  only  morsel  of  biscuit 
she  had  to  the  child,  and  was  dying,  in  order  that  the 
urchin  might  live.  I  never  could  get  rightly  into  the 
meaning  of  the  thing,  my  lady,  why  a  woman,  who 
is  no  better  than  a  Lascar  in  matters  of  strength,  nor 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  73 

any  better  than  a  booby  in  respect  of  courage,  should 
be  able  to  let  go  her  hold  of  life  in  this  quiet  fashion, 
when  many  a  stout  mariner  would  be  fighting  for 
each  mouthful  of  air  the  Lord  might  see  fit  to  give. 
But  there  she  was,  white  as  the  sail  on  which  the 
storm  has  long  beaten,  and  limber  as  a  pennant  in  a 
calm,  with  her  poor  skinny  arm  around  the  lad,  hold- 
ing in  her  hand  tL«t  very  mouthful  that  might  have 
kept  her  own  soul  in  the  body  a  little  longer.' 

" '  What  did  she,  when  you  brought  her  to  the 
light  V 

" '  What  did  she  !'  repeated  Fid,  whose  voice  was 

getting  thick  and  husky,  'why,  she  did  a  d d 

honest  thing  ;  she  gave  the  boy  the  crumb,  and  mo- 
tioned, as  well  as  a  dying  woman  could,  that  Ave 
should  have  an  eye  over  him,  till  the  cruise  of  life 
was  up.' 

"  '  And  was  that  all  ?' 

"'I  have  always  thought  she  prayed;  for  some- 
thing passed  between  her  and  one  who  was  not  to  be 
seen,  if  a  man  might  judge  by  the  fashion  in  which 
her  eyes  were  turned  aloft,  and  her  lips  moved.  I 
hope,  among  others,  she  put  in  a  good  word  for  one 
Richard  Fid  ;  for  certain  she  had  as  little  need  to  be 
asking  for  herself  as  any  body.  But  no  man  will  ever 
know  what  she  said,  seeing  that  her  mouth  was  shut 
from  that  time  forever  after.' 

'"She  died!' 

"  '  Sorry  am  I  to  say  it.  But  the  poor  lady  was 
past  swallowing  when  she  came  into  our  hands,  and 
then  it  was  but  little  we  had  to  offer  her.     A  quart 


14:  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

of  water,  with  mayhap  a  gill  of  wine,  a  biscuit,  and 
a  handful  of  rice,  was  no  great  allowance  for  two 
hearty  men  to  pull  a  boat  some  seventy  leagues  with- 
in the  tropics.  Howsomever,  Avhen  we  found  no  more 
was  to  he  got  from  the  wreck,  and  that,  since  the  air 
had  escaped  by  the  hole  we  had  cut,  she  was  settling 
fast,  we  thought  it  best  to  get  out  of  her  :  and  sure 
enough  we  were  none  too  soon,  seeing  that  she  went 
under  just  as  we  had  twitched  our  jolly-boat  clear  of 
the  suction.' 

"  'And  the  boy — the  poor  deserted  child!'  exclaimed 
the  governess,  whose  eyes  had  now  filled  to  overflow- 
ing. 

" '  There  you  are  all  aback,  my  lady.  Instead  of 
deserting  him,  we  brought  him  away  with  us,  as  we 
did  the  only  other  living  creature  to  be  found  about 
the  wreck.  But  we  had  still  a  long  journey  before 
us,  and,  to  make  the  matter  worse,  we  were  out  of 
the  track  of  the  traders.  So  I  put  it  down  as  a  case 
for  a  council  of  all  hands,  which  was  no  more  than  I 
and  the  black,  since  the  lad  was  too  weak  to  talk,  and 
little  could  he  have  said  otherwise  in  our  situation. 
So  I  begun  myself,  saying,  says  I,  '  Guinea,  we  must 
eat  either  this  here  dog,  or  this  here  boy.  If  we  eat 
the  boy,  we  shall  be  no  better  than  the  people  in  your 
own  country,  who,  you  know,  my  lady,  are  cannibals; 
but  if  we  eat  the  dog,  poor  as  he  is,  Ave  may  make  out 
to  keep  soul  and  body  together,  and  to  give  the  child 
the  other  matters.'  So  Guinea,  he  says,  says  he, 
'I've  no  occasion  for  food  at  all;  give  'em  to  the 
boy,'  says  he,  'seeing  that  he  is  little,  and  has  need 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  75 

of  strength.'  Howsomever,  Master  Harry  took  no 
great  fancy  to  the  dog,  which  we  soon  finished  be- 
tween ns ;  for  the  plain  reason  that  lie  was  so  thin. 
After  that,  we  had  a  hungry  time  of  it  ourselves  ;  for, 
had  we  not  kept  up  the  life  in  the  lad,  you  know,  it 
would  have  slipt  through  our  fingers.' 

"  '  And  you  fed  the  child,  though  fasting  your- 
selves?' 

"  '  No,  we  wern't  altogether  idle,  my  lady,  seeing 
that  we  kept  our  teeth  jogging  on  the  skin  of  the 
dog,  though  I  will  not  say  that  the  food  was  over 
savory.  And  then,  as  we  had  no  occasion  to  lose 
time  in  eating,  we  kept  the  oars  going  so  much  the 
livelier.  Well,  we  got  in  at  one  of  the  islands  after 
a  time,  though  neither  I  nor  the  nigger  had  much  to 
boast  of  as  to  strength  or  weight,  when  we  made  the 
first  kitchen  we  fell  in  with.' 

'"And  the  child?' 

"  '  Oh  !  he  was  doing  well  enough  ;  for,  as  the 
doctors  afterward  told  us,  the  short  allowance  on 
which  he  was  put  did  him  no  harm.' 

"  'You  sought  his  friends?' 

"'Why,  as  for  that  matter,  my  lady,  so  far  as  I 
have  been  aide  t<>  discover,  he  was  with  his  best 
friends  already.  We  had  neither  charl  nor  bearings 
by  which  we  Knew  how  to  steer  in  search  of  his  fam- 
ily. His  name  he  called  Master  Harry,  by  which  it  is 
clear  he  was  a  gentleman  horn,  as  indeed  any  one 
may  see  by  looking  at  him;  but  not  another  word 
could  I  learn  of  his  relations  or  country,  except  that, 
as  he  spoke  the  English  language,  and  was  found  in 


76  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

an  English  ship,  there  is  a  natural  reason  to  believe 
he  is  of  English  build  himself.' 

"  '  Did  you  not  learn  the  name  of  the  ship  ?'  de- 
manded the  attentive  Rover,  in  whose  countenance 
the  traces  of  a  lively  interest  were  very  distinctly  dis- 
cernible. 

"  '  Why,  as  to  that  matter,  your  honor,  schools 
were  scarce  in  my  part  of  the  country ;  and  in  Africa, 
you  know,  there  is  no  great  matter  of  learning  ;  so 
that,  had  her  name  been  out  of  water,  which  it  was 
not,  we  might  have  been  bothered  to  read  it.  How- 
somever,  there  was  a  horse-bucket  kicking  about  her 
decks,  and  which,  as  luck  would  have  it,  got  jammed- 
in  with  the  pumps  in  such  a  fashion  that  it  did  not 
go  overboard  until  we  took  it  with  us.  Well,  this 
bucket  had  a  name  painted  on  it ;  and,  after  we  had 
leisure  for  the  thing,  I  got  Guinea,  who  has  a  natural 
turn  at  tattooing,  to  rub  it  into  my  arm  in  gunpowder, 
as  the  handiest  way  of  logging  these  small  particu- 
lars. Your  honor  shall  see  what  the  black  has  made 
of  it.' 

So  saying,  Fid  very  coolly  doffed  his  jacket,  and 
laid  bare,  to  the  elbow,  one  of  his  brawny  arms,  on 
which  the  blue  impression  was  still  very  plainly  visi- 
ble. Although  the  letters  were  rudely  imitated,  it 
was  not  difficult  to  read,  in  the  skin,  the  words: 
"Ark,  of  Lynnhaven." 

"  '  Here,  then,  you  had  a  clue  at  once  to  find  the 
relatives  of  the  boy,'  observed  the  Rover,  after  he 
had  deciphered  the  letters. 

"  '  It  seems  not,  your  honor ;  for  we  took  the  child 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  77 

with  vis  aboard  the  'Proserpine,'  and  our  worthy 
captain  carried  sail  hard  after  the  people ;  but  no  one 
could  give  any  tidings  of  such  a  craft  as  the  'Ark,  of 
Lynnhaven ;'  and  after  a  twelvemonth,  or  more,  we 
were  obliged  to  give  up  the  chase.' 

"  '  Could  the  child  give  no  account  of  his  friends  ?' 
demanded  the  governess. 

"  '  But  little,  my  lady ;  for  the  reason  he  knew 
but  little  about  himself.  So  we  gave  the  matter  over 
altogether ;  I,  and  Guinea,  and  the  captain,  and  all  of 
us,  turning-to  to  educate  the  boy.  He  got  his  sea- 
manship of  the  black  and  myself,  and  mayhap  some 
little  of  his  manners  also  ;  and  his  navigation  and 
Latin  of  the  captain,  who  proved  his  friend  till  such 
a  time  as  he  was  able  to  take  care  of  himself,  and, 
for  that  matter,  some  years  afterward.'  " 

The  story  of  Fid  Avas  interrupted  by  a  cry  of 
"  Sail,  ho !"  which  proved  to  be  the  king's  ship,  the 
"Dart,"  in  which  Lieutenant  Wilder  had  his  com- 
mission. We  now  transfer  ourselves  from  the  dn-k 
of  the  pirate  ship,  the  "Dolphin,"  to  that  of  the 
"Dart,"  whence,  by  consent  of  the  Rover,  Wilder  is 
soon  enabled  to  follow  us.  Prompted  by  the  extra- 
ordinary kindness  evinced  toward  him  by  the  pirate, 
Wilder  revealed  to  him  who  and  what  he  was,  warned 
him  of  the  approach  of  the  "Dart,1'  with  its  purpose 
to  capture  or  destroy  him,  and  earnestly  endeavored 
to  persuade  him  to  abandon  his  unlawful  career.  To 
this,  the  Rover,  whose  name  and  title  were  Captain 
Heidegger,  turned  a  deaf  ear,  but  being  unaccount- 
ably attracted  toward  the  young  officer,  permitted 


78  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

him  to  rejoin  his  ship,  taking  with  him  the  ladies, 
Mrs.  Wyllys  and  her  ward,  and  the  two  sailors,  Fid 
and  Seipio.  Struck  by  the  generous  forbearance  of  the 
Rover,  Wilder  would  have  prevented  an  encounter 
with  him,  if  his  duty  to  his  country  and  his  command- 
er had  permitted  it.  Captain  Bignoll,  indeed,  upon 
hearing  his  lieutenant's  story,  sent  the  most  liberal 
offers  to  the  Rover  ;  but  to  all  that  singular  man  re- 
turned only  his  defiance.  "  I  will  neither  seek  nor 
avoid  your  boasted  cruiser,"  was  his  reply.  Unhap- 
pily, Captain  Bignall,  confident  of  the  strength  and 
power  of  his  own  vessel,  and  believing  that  his  duty 
to  his  king  and  to  mankind  did  not  permit  him  to 
allow  the  pirate  to  escape,  gave  the  order  for 

THE   BATTLE. 

The  "  order  for  all  hands  to  clear  ship  for  action" 
was  again  given,  and  received  in  the  cheerful  tem- 
per with  which  mariners  are  wont  to  welcome  any 
of  the  more  important  changes  of  their  exciting  pro- 
fession. Little  mnained,  however,  to  be  done  ;  for 
most  of  the  previous  preparations  had  still  been  left, 
as  at  the  original  meeting  of  the  two  vessels.  Then 
came  the  beat  to  quarters,  and  the  more  serious  and 
fearful-looking  preparations  for  certain  combat.  Af- 
ter  these  several  arrangements  had  been  completed, 
the  crew  ;if  their  guns,  the  sail-trimmers  at  the  braces, 
and  the  officers  in  their  several  batteries,  the  after- 
yards  were  swung,  and  the  ship  once  more  put  in 
motion. 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  79 

During  this  brief  interval,  the  vessel  of  the  Rover 
lay,  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  in  a  state  of  entire 
rest,  without  betraying  the  smallest  interest  in  the 
obvious  movements  of  her  hostile  neighbor.  When, 
however,  the  "  Dart"  was  seen  yielding  to  the  breeze, 
and  gradually  increasing  her  velocity,  until  the  water 
was  gathering  under  her  fore-foot  in  a  little  rolling 
wave  of  foam,  the  bows  of  the  other  fell  off  from  the 
direction  of  the  wind,  the  topsail  was  filled,  and,  in 
her  turn,  the  hull  was  held  in  command,  by  giving  to 
it  the  impetus  of  motion.  The  "  Dart"  now  set  again 
at  her  gatf  that  broad  field  which  had  been  lowered 
during  the  conference,  and  which  had  floated  in  tri- 
umph through  the  hazards  and  struggles  of  a  thou- 
sand combats.  No  answering  emblem,  however,  was 
exhibited  from  the  peak  of  her  adversary. 

In  this  manner  the  two  ships  "  gathered  way,"  as 
it  is  expressed  in  nautical  language,  watching  each 
other  with  eyes  as  jealous  as  though  they  had  been 
two  rival  monsters  of  the  great  deep,  each  endeav- 
oring to  conceal  from  his  antagonist  the  evolution 
contemplated  next.  The  earnest,  serious  manner  of 
Wilder  had  not  failed  to  produce  its  influence  on  the 
straight-minded  seaman  who  commanded  the  "Dart;" 
and,  by  tins  time,  he  was  as  much  disposed  as  his 
lieutenant  to  approach  the  conflict  leisurely,  and  with 
proper  caution. 

The  day  hud  hitherto  been  cloudless,  and  a  vault  of 
purer  blue  never  canopied  a  waste  of  water,  than  the 
arch  which  had  swept  for  hours  above  the  heads  of 
our  marine  adventurers.     But,  as  if  nature  frowned 


80  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

on  their  present  bloody  designs,  a  dark,  threatening 
mass  of  vapor  was  blending  the  ocean  with  the  sky,  in 
a  direction  opposed  to  the  steady  currents  of  the  air. 
These  well-known  and  ominous  signs  did  not  escape 
the  vigilance  of  those  who  manned  the  hostile  vessels, 
but  the  danger  was  still  deemed  too  remote  to  inter- 
rupt the  higher  interests  of  the  approaching  combat. 

"  We  have  a  squall  brewing  in  the  west,"  said  the 
experienced  and  wary  Bignall,  pointing  to  the  frown- 
ing symptoms  as  he  spoke  ;  "  but  we  can  handle  the 
pirate,  and  get  all  snug  again,  before  it  works  its  way 
up  against  this  breeze." 

Wilder  assented;  for,  by  this  time,  high  profes- 
sional pride  was  swelling  in  his  bosom  also,  and  a 
generous  rivalry  was  getting  the  mastery  of  feelings 
that  were  possibly  foreign  to  his  duty,  however  nat- 
ural they  might  have  been  in  one  as  open  to  kindness 
as  himself. 

"  The  Rover  is  sending  down  even  his  lighter 
masts !"  exclaimed  the  youth  ;  "  it  would  seem  that 
he  greatly  distrusts  the  weather." 

"  We  will  not  follow  his  example ;  for  he  will 
wish  they  were  aloft  again,  the  moment  we  get  him 
fairly  under  the  play  of  our  batteries.  By  George 
our  king,  bat  he  has  a  pretty  moving  boat  under  him. 
Let  fall  the  main-course,  sir ;  down  with  it,  or,  we 
shall  have  it  night  before  we  get  the  rogue  abeam." 

The  order  was  obeyed  ;  and  then  the  "  Dart,"  feeling 
the  powerful  impulse,  quickened  her  speed,  like  an 
animated  being  that  is  freshly  urged  by  its  apprehen- 
sions or  its  wishes.     By  this  time,  she  had  gained  a 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  81 

position  on  the  weather-quarter  of  her  adversary,  who 
had  not  manifested  the  smallest  desire  to  prevent  her 
attaining  so  material  an  advantage.  On  the  contrary, 
while  the  "  Dolphin"  kept  the  same  canvas  spread,  she 
continued  to  lighten  her  top-hamper,  bringing  as  much 
of  the  weight  as  possible,  from  the  towering  height 
of  her  tall  masts,  to  the  greater  security  of  the  hull. 
Still,  the  distance  between  them  was  too  great,  in  the 
opinion  of  Bignall,  to  commence  the  contest,  while 
the  facility  with  which  his  adversary  moved  ahead 
threatened  to  protract  the  important  moment  to  an 
unreasonable  extent,  or  to  reduce  him  to  a  crowd  of 
sail  that  might  prove  embarrassing,  while  enveloped 
in  the  smoke,  and  pressed  by  the  urgencies  of  the 
combat. 

"  We  will  touch  his  pride,  sir,  since  you  think  him 
a  man  of  spirit,"  said  the  veteran,  to  his  faithful  co- 
adjutor :  "  Give  him  a  weather-gun,  and  show  him  an- 
other of  his  master's  ensigns." 

The  roar  of  the  piece,  and  the  display  of  three 
more  of  the  fields  of  England,  in  quick  succession, 
from  different  parts  of  the  "  Dart,"  failed  to  produce 
the  slightest  evidence,  even  of  observation,  aboard 
their  seemingly  insensible  neighbor.  The  "Dolphin" 
still  kept  on  her  way,  occasionally  swooping  up  grace- 
fully to  touch  the  wind,  and  then  deviating  from  her 
course  again  to  leeward,  as  the  porpoise  is  seen  to  turn 
aside  from  his  direction  to  snuff  the  breeze,  while  he 
lazily  sports  along  his  briny  path. 

"He  will  not  be  moved  by  any  of  the  devices  of 
lawful  and  ordinary  warfare,"  said  Wilder,  when  he 


82  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

witnessed  the  indifference  with  which  their  challenge 
had  been  received. 

"  Then  try  him  with  a  shot." 

A  <nin  was  now  discharged  from  the  side  next  the 
still  receding  "Dolphin."  The  iron  messenger  was 
seen  bounding  along  the  surface  of  the  sea,  skipping 
lightly  from  wave  to  wave,  until  it  cast  a  little  cloud 
of  spray  upon  the  very  deck  of  their  enemy,  as  it 
boomed  harmlessly  past  her  hull.  Another,  and  yet 
auothei-,  followed,  without  in  any  manner  extracting 
signal  or  notice  from  the  Rover. 

"  How's  this  !"  exclaimed  the  disappointed  Bignall. 
"  Has  he  a  charm  for  his  ship,  that  all  our  shot  sweep 
by  him  in  rain  !  Master  Fid,  can  you  do  nothing  for 
the  credit  of  honest  people,  and  the  honor  of  a  pennant  ? 
Let  us  hear  from  your  old  favourite ;  in  times  past  she 
used  to  speak  to  better  purpose." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  returned  the  accommodating  Rich- 
ard, who,  in  the  sudden  turns  of  his  fortune,  found 
himself  in  authority  over  a  much-loved  and  long  cher- 
ished piece.  "I  christened  the  gun  after  Mistress 
Whiffle,  your  honor,  for  the  same  reason,  that  they 
both  can  do  their  own  talking.  Now,  stand  aside, 
my  lads,  and  let  clattering  Kate  have  a  whisper  in  the 
disci  mrse." 

Richard,  who  had  coolly  taken  his  sight,  while 
speaking,  now  deliberately  applied  the  match  with  his 
own  hand,  ami  will)  a  philosophy  that  was  sufficiently 
to  be  commended  in  a  mercenary,  sent  what  he  bold- 
ly pronounced  to  be  "a  thorough  straight-goer" 
across  the  water,  in  the  direction  of  his  recent  associ- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  83 

ates.  The  usual  moments  of  suspense  succeeded,  and 
then  the  torn  fragments,  which  were  seen  scattered  in 
the  air,  announced  that  the  shot  had  passed  through 
the  nettings  of  the  "  Dolphin."  The  effect  on  the 
vessel  of  the  Rover  was  instantaneous,  and  nearly 
magical.  A  long  strip  of  cream-colored  canvas, 
which  had  been  artfully  extended,  from  her  stem  to 
her  stern,  in  a  line  with  her  guns,  disappeared  as  sud- 
denly as  a  bird  would  shut  its  wings,  leaving  in  its 
place  a  broad  blood-red  belt,  which  was  bristled  with 
the  armament  of  the  ship.  At  the  same  time,  an  en- 
sign of  a  similar  ominous  colour,  rose  from  her  poop, 
and,  fluttering  darkly  and  fiercely  for  a  moment,  it 
became  fixed  at  the  end  of  the  gaff. 

"  Now  I  know  him  for  the  knave  that  he  is !"  cried 
the  excited  Bignall ;  "  and,  see !  he  has  thrown  away 
his  false  paint,  and  shows  the  well-known  bloody  side, 
from  which  he  gets  his  name.  Stand  to  your  guns 
my  men !  the  pirate  is  getting  earnest." 

He  was  still  speaking,  when  a  sheet  of  bright  flame 
glanced  from  out  that  streak  of  red  which  was  so  well 
adapted  <<>  work  upon  the  superstitious  awe  of  the 
common  mariners,  and  was  followed  by  the  simultane- 
ous explosion  of  nearly  a  dozen  wide-mouthed  pieces 
of  artillery.  The  startling  change,  from  inattention 
and  indifference,  to  this  act  of  bold  and  decided  hos- 
tility, produced  a  strong  effect  on  the  boldest  heart  on 
board  the  king's  cruiser.  The  momentary  interval  of 
suspense  was  passed  in  unchanged  attitudes  and  looks 
of  deep  attention  ;  and  then  the  rushing  of  the  iron 
storm  was  heard  hurtling  through  the  air,  as  it  came 


84  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

fearfully  on.  The  crash  that  followed,  mingled,  as  it 
was,  with  human  groans,  and  succeeded  by  the  tearing 
of  riven  plank,  and  the  scattering  high  of  splinters, 
ropes,  blocks,  and  the  implements  of  war,  proclaimed 
the  fatal  accuracy  of  the  broadside.  But  the  surprise, 
and,  with  it,  the  brief  confusion,  endured  but  for  an 
instant.  The  Eno-lish  shouted,  and  sent  back  a  return 
to  the  deadly  assault  they  had  just  received,  recover- 
ing manfully  and  promptly  from  the  shock  which  it 
had  assuredly  given. 

The  ordinary  and  more  regular  cannonading  of  a 
naval  combat  succeeded.  Anxious  to  precipitate  the 
issue,  both  ships  pressed  nigher  to  each  other  the  while, 
until,  in  a  few  moments,  the  two  white  canopies  of 
smoke,  that  were  wreathing  about  their  respective 
masts,  were  blended  in  one,  marking  a  solitai'y  spot 
of  strife,  in  the  midst  of  a  scene  of  broad  and  bright 
tranquillity.  The  discharges  of  the  cannon  were  hot, 
close,  and  incessant.  While  the  hostile  parties,  how- 
ever, closely  imitated  each  other  in  their  zeal  in  deal- 
ing out  destruction,  a  peculiar  difference  marked  the 
distinction  in  character  of  the  two  crews.  Loud, 
cheering  shouts  accompanied  each  discharge  from  the 
lawful  cruiser,  while  the  people  of  the  Rover  did  their 
murderous  work  amid  the  deep  silence  of  despera- 
tion. 

The  spirit  and  uproar  of  the  scene  soon  quickened 
that  blood,  in  the  veins  of  the  veteran  Bignall,  which 
had  begun  to  circulate  a  little  slowly  by  time. 

"The  fellow  has  not  forgotten  his  art!"  he  exclaim- 
ed, as  the  effects  of  his  enemy's  skill  were  getting  but 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  85 

too  manifest,  in  the  rent  sails,  shivered  spars,  and  tot- 
tering masts  of  his  own  ship..  "  Had  he  but  the  com- 
mission of  the  king  in  his  pocket,  one  might  call  him 
a  hero  !" 

The  emergency  was  too  urgent  to  throw  away  the 
time  in  words.  Wilder  answered  only  by  cheering 
his  own  people  to  their  fierce  and  laborious  task.  The 
ships  had  now  fallen  off  before  the  wind,  and  were 
running  parallel  to  each  othei*,  emitting  sheets  of 
flame,  that  were  incessantly  glancing  through  immense 
volumes  of  smoke.  The  spars  of  the  respective  ves- 
sels were  alone  visible,  at  brief  and  uncertain  intervals. 
Many  minutes  had  thus  passed,  seeming  to  those  en- 
gaged but  a  moment  of  time,  when  the  mariners  of 
the  "  Dart"  found  that  they  no  longer  held  their  ves- 
sel in  the  quick  command  so  necessary  to  their  situa- 
tion. The  important  circumstance  was  instantly  con- 
veyed from  the  master  to  Wilder,  and  from  Wilder 
to  his  superior.  A  hasty  consultation  on  the  cause 
and  consequences  of  this  unexpected  event  was  the 
immediate  and  natural  result. 

"See!"  cried  Wilder,  "the  sails  are  already  hang- 
ing against  the  masts  like  rags  ;  the  explosions  of  the 
artillery  have  stilled  the  wind." 

"Hark!"  answered  the  more  experienced  Bignall: 
"There  goes  the  artillery  of  heaven  among  our  own 
guns.  The  squall  is  already  upon  us — port  the  helm, 
sir,  and  sheer  the  ship  out  of  the  smoke  !  Hard  aport 
with  the  helm,  sir,  at  once! — hard  with  it  aport,  I 
say." 

But  the  lazv  motion  of  the  vessel  did  not  answer 


86  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

to  the  impatience  of  those  who  directed  her  move- 
ments, nor  did  it  meet  the  pressing  exigencies  of  the 
moment.  In  the  mean  time,  while  Bignall,  and  the 
officers  whose  duties  kept  them  near  his  person,  as- 
sisted by  the  sail-trimmers,  were  thus  occupied,  the 
people  in  the  batteries  continued  their  murderous  em- 
ployment. The  roar  of  cannon  was  still  constant,  and 
nearly  overwhelming,  though  there  were  instants 
when  the  deep  ominous  mutterings  of  the  atmosphere 
were  too  distinctly  audible  to  be  mistaken.  Still  the 
eye  could  lend  no  assistance  to  the  hearing,  in  deter- 
mining the  judgment  of  the  mariners.  Hulls,  spars, 
and  sails  were  alike  enveloped  in  the  curling  wreaths 
which  wrapped  heaven,  air,  vessels,  and  ocean,  alike, 
in  one  white,  obscure,  foggy  mantle.  Even  the  per- 
sons of  the  crew  were  merely  seen  at  instants,  labor- 
ing at  the  guns,  through  brief  and  varying  openings. 

"  I  never  knew  the  smoke  pack  so  heavy  on  the 
deck  of  a  ship  before,"  said  Bignall,  with  a  concern 
that  even  his  caution  could  not  entirely  repress. 
"  Keep  the  helm  aport — jam  it  hard,  sir !  By  Hea- 
ven, Mr.  Wilder,  those  knaves  well  know  they  are 
struggling  for  their  lives  !" 

"The  fifrht  is  all  our  own!"  shouted  the  second 
lieutenant,  from  among  the  guns,  stanching,  as  he 
sp<  »ke,  the  blood  of  a  severe  splinter-wound  in  the  face, 
and  far  too  intent  on  his  own  immediate  occupation, 
to  have  noticed  the  signs  of  the  weather.  "  He  has 
not  answered  with  a  single  gun,  for  near  a  minute." 

'"Fore  George,  the  rogues  have  enough!"  exclaimed 
the  delighted  Bignall.     "  Three  cheers  for  vie — " 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  87 

"  Hold,  sir !"  interrupted  Wilder,  with  sufficient 
decision  to  check  his  commander's  premature  exulta- 
tion ;  "  on  my  life,  our  work  is  not  so  soon  ended.  I 
think,  indeed,  his  guns  are  silent ;  but,  see !  the  smoke 
is  beginning  to  lift.  In  a  few  more  minutes,  if  our 
own  fire  should  cease,  the  view  will  be  clear." 

A  shout  from  the  men  in  the  batteries  interrupted 
his  words ;  and  then  came  a  general  cry  that  the 
pirates  were  sheering  off.  The  exultation  at  this  fan- 
cied evidence  of  their  superiority  was,  however,  soon 
and  fearfully  interrupted.  A  bright,  vivid  flash  pene- 
trated through  the  dense  vapor  which  still  hung  about 
them  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  crash  from  the  heavens,  to  which  the 
simultaneous  explosion  of  fifty  pieces  of  artillery  would 
have  sounded  feeble. 

"  Call  the  people  from  their  guns !"  said  Bignall, 
in  those  suppressed  tones  that  are  only  more  porten- 
tous from  their  forced  and  unnatural  calmness:  "Call 
them  away  at  once,  sir,  and  get  the  canvas  in!" 

Wilder,  startled  more  at  the  proximity  and  ap- 
parent weight  of  the  squall  than  at  words  to  which  he 
had  been  long  accustomed,  delayed  not  to  give  an 
order  that  was  seemingly  so  urgent.  The  men  left 
their  batteries,  like  athletaa  retiring  from  the  arena, 
^onie  bleeding  and  faint,  some  still  fierce  and  angry, 
and  all  more  or  less  excited  by  the  furious  scene  in 
which  they  had  just  been  actors.  Many  sprung  to 
the  well-known  ropes,  while  others,  as  they  ascended 
into  the  cloud  which  still  hung  on  the  vessel,  became 
lost  to  the  eye  in  her  rigging. 


88  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  Shall  I  reef,  or  furl  ?"  demanded  Wilder,  standing 
with  the  trumpet  at  his  lips,  ready  to  issue  the  neces- 
sary order. 

"  Hold,  sir ;  another  minute  will  give  us  an  open- 
ing." 

The  lieutenant  paused ;  for  he  was  not  slow  to  see 
that  now,  indeed,  the  veil  was  about  to  be  drawn 
from  their  real  situation.  The  smoke,  which  had  lain 
upon  their  very  decks,  as  though  pressed  down  by 
the  superincumbent  weight  of  the  atmosphere,  first 
began  to  stir,  was  then  seen  eddying  among  the 
masts,  and  finally  whirled  wildly  away  before  a 
powerful  current  of  air.  The  view  was,  indeed,  now 
all  before  them. 

In  place  of  the  glorious  sun,  and  that  bright,  blue 
canopy  which  had  lain  above  them  a  short  half-hour 
before,  the  heavens  were  clothed  in  one  immense 
black  veil.  The  sea  reflected  the  portentous  color, 
looking  dark  and  angry.  The  waves  had  already 
lost  their  regular  rise  and  fall,  and  were  tossing  to 
and  fro,  as  if  awaiting  the  power  that  was  to  give 
them  direction  and  greater  force.  The  flashes  from 
the  heavens  were  not  in  quick  succession ;  but  the 
few  that  did  break  upon  the  gloominess  of  the  scene 
came  in  majesty,  and  with  dazzling  brightness.  They 
were  accompanied  by  the  terrific  thunder  of  the  trop- 
ics, in  which  it  is  scarcely  profanation  to  fancy  that 
the  voice  of  One  who  made  the  universe  is  actually 
speaking  to  the  creatures  of  his  hand.  On  every  side, 
was  the  appearance  of  a  fierce  and  dangerous  strug- 
gle in  the  elements.     The  vessel  of  the  Rover  was 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  89 

running  lightly  before  a  breeze,  which  had  already 
come  fresh  and  fitful  from  the  cloud,  with  her  sails  re- 
duced, and  her  people  coolly  but  actively  employed 
in  repairing  the  damages  of  the  fight. 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost  in  imitating  the  ex- 
ample of  the  wary  freebooters.  The  head  of  the 
"  Dart'1  was  hastily  and  happily  got  in  a  direction 
contrary  to  the  breeze ;  and,  as  she  began  to  follow 
the  course  taken  by  the  "  Dolphin,"  an  attempt  was 
made  to  gather  her  torn  and  nearly  useless  canvas  to 
the  yards.  But  precious  minutes  had  been  lost  in  the 
smoky  canopy,  that  might  never  be  regained.  The 
sea  changed  its  color  from  a  dark  green  to  a  glitter- 
ing white  ;  and  then  the  fury  of  the  gust  was  heard 
rushing  along  the  water  with  fearful  rapidity,  and 
with  a  violence  that  could  not  be  resisted. 

"  Be  lively,  men  !"  shouted  Bignall  himself,  in  the 
exigency  in  which  his  vessel  was  placed;  "Roll  up 
the  cloth;  in  witli  it  all — leave  not  a  rag  to  the 
squall!  'Fore  George,  Mr.  Wilder,  but  this  wind  is 
not  playing  with  us;  cheer  up  the  men  to  their  work ; 
speak  to  them  cheerily,  sir!" 

"Furl  away!"  shouted  Wilder.  Cut,  if  too  late, 
work  away  with  knives  and  teeth — down,  every  man 
of  you,  down — down  for  your  lives,  all!" 

There  was  that  in  the  voice  of  the  lieutenant  which 
sounded  in  the  ears  of  his  people  like  a  supernatural 
cry.  He  had  so  recently  witnessed  a  calamity  simi- 
lar to  that  which  again  threatened  him,  that  perhaps 
his  feelings  lent  a  secret  horror  to  the  tones.  A  score 
of  forms  were  seen   descending  swiftly,  through  an 


90  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

atmosphere  that  appeared  sensible  to  the  touch. 
Nor  was  their  escape,  which  might  be  likened  to  the 
stooping  of  birds  that  dart  into  their  nest,  too  earn- 
estly pressed.  Stripped  of  all  its  rigging,  and  already 
tottering  under  numerous  wounds,  the  lofty  and  over- 
loaded spars  yielded  to  the  mighty  force  of  the  squall, 
tumbling  in  succession  toward  the  hull,  until  nothing 
stood  but  the  three  firmer,  but  shorn  and  nearly  use- 
less lower  masts.  By  far  the  greater  number  of  those 
aloft  reached  the  deck  in  time  to  insure  their  safety, 
though  some  there  were  too  stubborn,  and  still  too 
much  under  the  sullen  influence  of  the  combat,  to 
hearken  to  the  words  of  warning.  These  victims  of 
their  own  obstinacy  were  seen  clinging  to  the  broken 
fragments  of  the  spars,  as  the  "  Dart,"  in  a  cloud  of 
foam,  drove  away  from  the  spot  where  they  floated, 
until  their  persons  and  their  misery  were  alike  swal- 
lowed in  the  distance. 

"  It  is  the  hand  of  God  !"  hoarsely  exclaimed  the 
veteran  Bignall,  while  his  contracting  eye  drunk  in 
the  destruction  of  the  wreck.  "Mark  me,  Henry 
Ark ;  I  will  forever  testify  that  the  guns  of  the  pirate 
have  not  brought  us  to  this  condition." 

Little  disposed  to  seek  the  same  miserable  consola- 
tion as  his  commander,  Wilder  exerted  himself  in 
counteracting,  so  far  as  circumstances  would  allow, 
an  injury  that  he  felt,  however,  at  that  moment  to  be 
irreparable.  Amid  the  howling  of  the  gust,  and  the 
fearful  crashing  of  the  thunder,  with  an  atmosphere 
now  lurid  with  the  glare  of  lightning,  and  now  nearly 
obscured  by  the  dark  canopy  of  vapor,  and  with  all 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  91 

the  frightful  evidences  of  the  fight  still  reeking  and 
ghastly  before  their  eyes,  did  the  crew  of  the  British 
cruiser  prove  true  to  themselves  and  to  their  ancient 
reputation.  The  voices  of  Bignall  and  his  subordi- 
nates were  heard  in  the  tempest,  uttering  those  man- 
dates which  long  experience  had  rendered  familiar, 
or  encouraging  the  people  to  their  duty.  But  the 
strife  of  the  elements  was  happily  of  short  continu- 
ance. The  squall  soon  swept  over  the  spot,  leaving 
the  currents  of  the  trade  rushing  into  their  former 
channels,  and  a  sea  that  was  rather  stilled  than  agita- 
ted,  by  the  counteracting  influence  of  the  winds. 

But,  as  one  danger  passed  away  from  before  the 
eves  of  the  mariners  of  the  "  Dart,"  another  scarcely 
less  to  be  apprehended,  forced  itself  upon  their  atten- 
tion. All  recollection  of  the  favors  of  the  past,  and 
every  feeling  of  gratitude,  was  banished  from  the 
mind  of  Wilder,  by  the  mountings  of  powerful  pro- 
fessional  pride,  and  that  love  of  glory  which  becomes 
inherent  in  the  warrior,  as  he  gazed  on  the  untouched 
ami  beautiful  symmetry  of  the  "Dolphin's"  spars, 
and  all  the  perfect,  and  still  underanged  order  of  her 
tackle.  It  seemed  as  if  she  bore  a  charmed  fate,  or 
that  some  supernatural  agency  had  been  instrumental 
in  preserving  her  unharmed,  amid  the  violence  of  a 
second  hurricane.  But  cooler  thought,  and  more  im- 
partial reflection,  compelled  the  internal  acknowledg- 
ment, thai  the  vigilance  and  wise  precautions  of  the 
remarkable  individual  who  appeared  not  only  to  gov- 
ern her  movements,  but  to  control  her  fortunes,  had 
their  proper  influence  in  producing  the  result. 


92  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

Little  leisure,  however,  was  allowed  to  ruminate 
on  these  changes,  or  to  deprecate  the  advantage  of 
their  enemy.  The  vessel  of  the  Rover  had  already 
opened  many  broad  sheets  of  canvas ;  and,  as  the 
return  of  the  regular  breeze  gave  her  the  wind,  her 
approach  was  rapid  and  unavoidable. 

"  'Fore  George,  Mr.  Ark,  luck  is  all  on  the  dishon- 
est side  to-day,"  said  the  veteran,  so  soon  as  he  per- 
ceived, by  the  direction  which  the  "  Dolphin1'  took, 
that  the  encounter  was  likely  to  be  renewed.  "  Send 
the  people  to  quarters  again,  and  clear  away  the 
guns;  for  we  are  likely  to  have  another  bout  with 
the  rogues." 

"  I  would  advise  a  moment's  delay,"  Wilder  earn- 
estly observed,  when  he  heard  his  commander  issu- 
ing an  order  to  his  people  to  prepare  to  deliver  their 
fire,  the  instant  their  enemy  should  come  within  a  fa- 
vorable position.  "  Let  me  entreat  you  to  delay ;  we 
know  not  what  may  be  his  present  intentions." 

"  None  shall  put  foot  on  the  deck  of  the  '  Dart,' 
without  submitting  to  the  authority  of  her  royal  mas- 
ter," returned  the  stern  old  tar.  "  Give  it  to  him, 
my  men  !  Scatter  the  rogues  from  their  guns !  and 
let  them  know  the  danger  of  approaching  a  lion, 
though  he  should  be  crippled  !" 

Wilder  saw  that  remonstrance  was  now  too  late; 
for  a  fresh  broadside  was  hurled  from  the  "  Dart,"  to 
defeat  any  generous  intentions  that  the  Rover  might 
entertain.  The  ship  of  the  latter  received  the  iron 
storm,  while  advancing,  and  immediately  deviated 
gracefully  from  her  course,  in  such  a  way  as  to  pre- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  03 

vent  its  repetition.  Then  she  was  seen  sweeping  to- 
ward the  bows  of  the  nearly  helpless  cruiser  of  the 
King,  and  a  hoarse  summons  was  heard  ordering  her 
ensign  to  be  lowered. 

"  Come  on,  ye  villains !"  shouted  the  excited  Big- 
nail.  "  Come,  and  perform  the  office  with  your  own 
hands !" 

The  graceful  ship,  as  if  sensible  herself  to  the  taunts 
of  her  enemy,  sprung  nigher  to  the  wind,  and  shot 
across  the  fore-foot  of  the  "Dart,"  delivering  her  fire, 
gun  after  gun,  with  deliberate  and  deadly  accuracy, 
full  into  that  defenceless  portion  of  her  antagonist. 
A  crush  like  that  of  meeting  bodies  followed,  and  then 
fifty  grim  visages  were  seen  entering  the  scene  of 
carnage,  armed  with  the  deadly  weapons  of  personal 
conflict.  The  shock  of  so  close  and  so  fatal  a  dis- 
charge had,  for  the  moment,  paralyzed  the  efforts  of 
the  assailed  ;  but  no  sooner  did  Bignall  and  his  lieu- 
tenant see  the  dark  forms  that  issued  from  the  smoke 
on  their  own  decks,  than,  with  voices  that  had  not 
even  then  lost  their  authority,  each  summoned  a  baud 
of  followers,  backed  by  whom  they  bravely  dashed 
into  the  opposite  gangways  of  their  ship,  to  stay  the 
torrent.  The  first  encounter  was  fierce  and  fatal,  both 
parties  receding  a  little,  to  wait  for  succor  and  recover 
breath." 

"  Come  on,  ye  murderous  thieves !"  cried  the  daunt- 
less veteran,  who  stood  foremost  in  his  own  band, 
conspicuous  by  the  locks  of  gray  that  floated  around 
his  naked  head,  "  well  do  ye  know  that  heaven  is  with 
the  right  1" 


94:  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

The  grim  freebooters  in  his  front  recoiled  and 
opened ;  then  came  a  sheet  of  flame,  from  the  side  of 
the  "  Dolphin,"  through  an  empty  port  of  her  ad- 
versary, bearing  in  its  centre  a  hundred  deadly  mis- 
siles. The  sword  of  Bignall  was  flourished  furiously 
and  wildly  above  his  head,  and  his  voice  was  still 
heard  crying,  till  the  sounds  rattled  in  his  throat : 

"  Come  on,  ye  knaves  !  come  on  ! — Harry — Harry 
Ark  !     O  God !— Hurrah  !" 

He  fell  like  a  log,  and  died  the  unwitting  possessor 
of  that  very  commission  for  which  he  had  toiled 
throughout  a  life  of  hardship  and  danger.  Until  now 
Wilder  had  made  good  his  quarter  of  the  deck, 
though  pressed  by  a  band  as  tierce  and  daring  as  his 
own ;  but,  at  this  fearful  crisis  in  the  combat,  a  voice 
was  heard  in  the  melee,  that  thrilled  on  all  his  nerves, 
and  seemed  even  to  carry  its  fearful  influence  over  the 
minds  of  his  men. 

"  Make  way  there,  make  way !"  it  said,  in  tones 
clear,  deep,  and  breathing  with  authority,  "  make  way, 
and  follow ;  no  hand  but  mine  shall  lower  that  vaunt- 
ing flag; !" 

"  Stand  to  your  faith,  my  men !"  shouted  Wilder  in 
reply.  Shouts,  oaths,  imprecations,  and  groans  formed 
a  fearful  accompaniment  of  the  rude  encounter,  which 
was,  however,  far  too  violent  to  continue  long.  Wilder 
saw,  with  agony,  that  numbers  and  impetuosity  were 
sweeping  his  supporters  from  around  him.  Again  and 
again  he  called  them  to  the  succor  with  his  voice,  or 
stimulated  them  to  daring  by  his  example. 

Friend  after  friend  fell  at  his  feet,  until  he  was 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  95 

driven  to  the  utmost  extremity  of  the  deck.  Here  he 
again  rallied  a  little  band,  against  which  several  furi- 
ous charges  were  made  in  vain. 

"  Ha  !"  exclaimed  a  voice  he  well  knew ;  "  death 
to  all  traitors  !  Spit  the  spy,  as  you  would  a  dog ! 
Charge  through  them,  my  bullies ;  a  halbert  to  the 
hero  who  shall  reach  his  heart !" 

"  Avast,  ye  lubber  f"  returned  the  stern  tones  of  the 
staunch  Richard.  "Here  are  a  white  man  and  a 
nigger  at  your  service,  if  you've  need  of  a  spit." 

"  Two  more  of  the  gang !"  continued  the  general, 
aiming  a  blow  that  threatened  to  immolate  the  top- 
man  as  he  spoke. 

A  dark,  half-naked  form  was  interposed  to  receive 
the  descending  blade,  which  fell  on  the  staff  of  a  half- 
pike,  and  severed  it  as  though  it  had  been  a  reed. 
Nothing  daunted  by  the  defenceless  state  in  which 
he  found  himself,  Scipio  made  his  way  to  the  front 
of  Wilder,  where,  with  a  body  divested  to  the  waist 
of  every  garment,  and  empty  handed,  he  fought  with 
his  brawny  arms,  like  one  who  despised  the  cuts, 
thrusts,  and  assaults,  of  which  his  athletic  frame  im- 
mediately became  the  helpless  subject. 

"  Give  it  to  'em,  right  and  left,  Guinea,"  cried  Fid : 
"  here  is  one  who  will  come  in  as  a  backer,  so  soon 
as  he  has  Btopped  the  grog  of  the  marine." 

The  parries  and  science  of  the  unfortunate  general 
were  at  this  moment  set  at  naught,  by  a  blow  from 
Richard,  which  broke  down  all  his  defences,  descend- 
ing through  cap  and  skull  to  the  jaw. 

"  Hold,  murderers !"   cried  Wilder,  who   saw  the 


96  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

numberless  blows  that  were  falling  on  the  defenceless 
body  of  the  still  undaunted  black.  "  Strike  here !  and 
spare  an  unarmed  man  !" 

The  sight  of  our  adventurer  became  confused,  for 
he  saw  the  negro  fall,  dragging  with  him  to  the  deck 
two  of  Ms  assailants ;  and  then  a  voice,  deep  as  the 
emotion  which  such  a  scene  might  create,  appeared  to 
utter  in  the  very  portals  of  his  ear — 

"  Our  work  is  done !  He  that  strikes  another  blow 
makes  an  enemy  of  me." 

The  recent  gust  had  not  passed  more  fearfully  and 
suddenly  over  the  ship,  than  the  scene  just  related. 
But  the  smiling  aspect  of  the  tranquil  sky,  and  bright 
sun  of  the  Caribbean  sea,  found  no  parallel  in  the 
horrors  that  succeeded  the  combat.  The  momentary 
confusion  which  accompanied  the  fall  of  Scipio  soon 
disappeared,  and  Wilder  was  left  to  gaze  on  the 
wreck  of  all  the  boasted  poAvers  of  his  cruiser,  and  on 
that  waste  of  human  life,  which  had  been  the  attend- 
ants of  the  struggle. 

Within  a  few  yards  of  the  place  he  was  permitted 
to  occupy  himself,  stood  the  motionless  form  of  the 
Rover.  A  second  glance  was  necessary,  however,  to 
recognize,  in  the  grim  visage  to  which  the  boarding- 
cap  already  mentioned  lent  a  look  of  artificial  ferocity, 
the  usually  bland  countenance  of  the  individual.  As 
the  eye  of  Wilder  roamed  over  the  swelling,  erect, 
and  still  triumphant  figure,  it  was  difficult  not  to 
fancy  that  even  the  stature  had  been  suddenly  and 
unaccountably  increased.  One  hand  rested  on  the 
hilt  of  a  yataghan,  which,  by  the  crimson  drops  that 


STO  l:  I  i:s    01    III  E    SEA. 


" "'"'    '    ''"""'     "'    ''-;  »W1«!«  another  blow   male,  „„  ,,„.„1V  » 

Page  'jr.. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  97 

flowed  along  its  curved  blade,  had  evidently  done 
fatal  service  in  the  fray ;  and  one  foot  was  placed, 
seemingly  with  supernatural  weight,  on  that  national 
emblem  which  it  had  been  his  pride  to  lower.  His 
eye  was  wandering  sternly,  but  understanding^,  over 
the  scene,  though  he  spoke  not,  nor  in  any  other 
manner  betrayed  the  deep  interest  he  felt  in  the  past. 
At  his  side,  and  nearly  within  the  circle  of  his  arm 
stood  the  cowering  form  of  the  boy  Roderick,  un- 
provided with  weapon,  his  garments  sprinkled  with 
blood,  bis  eye  contracted,  wild,  and  fearful,  and  his 
face  pallid  as  those  in  whom  the  tide  of  life  had  just 
ceased  to  circulate. 

Here  and  there  were  to  be  seen  the  wounded  cap- 
tives,  still  sullen  and  unconquered  in  spirit,  while  many 
of  their  scarcely  less  fortunate  enemies  lay  in  their 
blood,  around  the  deck,  with  such  gleam ings  of  feroc- 
ity on  their  countenances  as  plainly  denoted  that  the 
current  of  their  meditations  was  still  running  on  ven- 
geance. The  uninjured  and  the  slightly  wounded,  of 
both  bands,  were  already  pursuing  their  different  ob- 
jects  of  plunder  or  of  secretion. 

But  so  thorough  was  the  discipline  established  by 
the  leader  of  the  freebooters,  so  absolute  his  power, 
that  blow  had  not  been  struck,  nor  blood  drawn, 
since  the  moment  when  his  prohibitory  mandate  was 
heard.  There  had  been  enough  of  destruction,  how- 
ever, to  have  satisfied  their  niosl  gluttonous  longings 
had  human  life  been  the  sole  object  of  the  assault. 
Wilder  felt  many  a  pang,  as  the  marble-like  features 
of  bumble  friend  or  faithful  servitor  came,  one  after 
7 


98  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

another,  under  his  recognition  ;  but  the  shock  was 
greatest  when  his  eye  fell  upon  the  rigid  and  still 
frowning  countenance  of  his  veteran  commander. 

"  Captain  Heidegger,"  he  said,  struggling  to  main- 
tain the  fortitude  which  became  the  moment,  "  the 
fortune  of  the  day  is  yours  :  I  ask  mercy  and  kindness 
in  behalf  of  the  survivors." 

"  They  shall  be  granted  to  those  who,  of  right,  may 
claim  them." 


STOEIES   OF   TIIE    SEA.  99 


THE  WATER-WITCH. 

Ik  Cooper's  romance  of  the  "Water- Witch"  we  have 
a  most  stirring  and  thrilling  account  of  a  sea-fight,  a 
ship  on  fire,  and  the  rescue  of  the  survivors  from  a 
raft.  There  is  nothing  in  all  of  Mr.  Cooper's  numer- 
ous volumes  more  vivid  and  graphic  than  the  descrip- 
tion of  these  successive  incidents,  which  form  within 
themselves  a  complete  and  perfect  story,  needing  but 
few  introductory  words.  The  period  of  the  story 
was  something  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  and 
the  locality  the  bays  and  shores  of  Long  Island  and 
New  York.  The  English  sloop-of-war,  "Coquette," 
Captain  Ludlow,  was  stationed  in  the  American  wa- 
ters, with  especial  instructions  to  look  out  for,  and 
capture,  if  possible,  a  brigantine,  known  by  the  name 
of  the  "  Water- Witch,"  engaged  in  smuggling  on  the 
American  coast.  But  the  "  Water- Witch"  was  a  re- 
markably fast  sailer,  and  was  commanded  by  a  man 
so  adroit  and  skilful,  known  by  the  appellation  of 
"  The  Skimmer  of  the  Seas,"  that  the  utmost  exertions 
of  Captain  Ludlow  were  of  no  avail,  and  the  brigan- 
tine continually  eluded  and  escaped  him.  The  "  A\ra- 
tcr-Witch"  is  described  as  no  common  vessel,  ex- 
quisitely moulded,  with  delicate  and  tapering  masts 
and  spars,  and  remarkable  for  a  female  figure  under 
its  bow,  with  an  open  volume  in  her  hand,  in  which  it 
was  said  the  questioner  would  find  written  the  oracu- 


100  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

lar  and  prophetic  response  to  his  question,  while  the 
face  of  the  figure  was  said  often  to  lighten  up  with 
a  dazzling  and  mysterious  intelligence.  In  fact,  the 
"  Water- AVitch"  soon  became  an  object  of  supersti- 
tious dread  to  all  the  sailors  of  the  "Coquette." 

But  no  less  remarkable  than  the  vessel,  was  her 
commander.  He  was  by  no  means  a  common  or 
vulgar  smuggler,  but  a  man  of  address,  daring,  cul- 
ture, who  pursued  his  unlawful  trade  with  great  bold- 
ness and  profit,  secretly  aided  in  his  purposes  by  some 
of  the  wealthiest  men  of  the  city  of  Manhattan.  A 
companion  by  the  name  of  Seadrift,  a  gay,  dashing, 
handsome  young  person,  who  visits  in  behalf  of  the 
Skimmer  the  houses  of  his  wealthy  patrons,  proves  in 
the  end  to  be  a  woman  in  disguise — the  daughter  of  a 
friend  of  the  smuggler's,  whom,  since  her  childhood, 
he  had  protected  and  befriended.  The  other  charac- 
ters which  appear  in  the  story  are  Alderman  Van 
Beverout,  and  his  niece,  Alida.  Our  sketch  opens  on 
the  deck  of  the  "  Coquette."  The  Alderman  and  Alida 
are  by  chance  Captain  Ludlow's  visitors;  and  this 
Master  Seadrift,  so  called,  is  his  prisoner,  having  been 
captured  in  one  of  his  expeditions  to  the  shore,  and 
is  supposed  by  Ludlow  to  be  the  famous  Skimmer 
himself. 

There  had  been  a  spirited  chase  after  the  "  Water- 
Witch"  through  East  River,  the  Hell-Gate,  and  Lung- 
Island  Sound.  The  "  Coquette"  had  spread  her  sails 
in  pursuit  of  the  wary  brigantine  at  a  moment  when 
full  half  of  her  crew  were  in  the  boats  in  search  of 
the  smuggler  among  the  inlets  and  coves  of  the  bay. 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  101 

The  sudden  appearance  of  the  ""Water-Witch"  in  an 
unlooked  for  quarter  left  no  time  to  recall  the  boats, 
and  off  Captain  Ludlow  started  with  a  reduced  crew, 
and  the  alderman  and  his  niece  on  board.  The 
chase  was  exciting,  but  after  leading  the  "  Coquette" 
through  the  waters  of  the  sound  and  out  into  the 
Atlantic  again,  the  nimble  brigantine  disappeared. 
When  the  "Coquette"  had  passed  Montauk,  and 
reached  a  point  past  the  Cape  where  she  felt  the 
breeze  and  waves  of  the  Atlantic,  not  a  sign  of  the 
smuggler  could  be  seen — she  had  either  by  her  great 
speed  disappeared  in  the  offing,  or  had  slipped  in 
among  the  coves  and  bays  of  Long  Island. 

While  still  searching  for  the  swift-sailing  "Wa- 
ter-Witch," a  cry  of  "  sail,  ho  !"  was  heard,  and  a 
full-rigged  ship  under  easy  canvas  was  discovered  in 
the  offing.  This,  to  the  chagrin  of  Captain  Ludlow, 
proved  to  be  a  French  ship,  for  England  and  France 
at  the  time  were  at  war.  Under  ordinary  circum- 
stances he  would  have  been  glad  to  encounter  the 
Frenchman,  but  his  crew  did  not  number  more  than 
half  their  full  number,  and  the  French  ship  was  a 
larger  vessel  and  mounted  more  guns  than  his  own. 

"  Would  to  Heaven  our  people  were  all  here,"  said 
Captain  Ludlow,  to  Trysail,  the  sailing-master  of  the 
vessel,  "What  number  can  we  count  ?" 

"  We  are  short  of  seventy — a  small  muster  for  four- 
and-twenty  guns,  with  yards  like  these  to  handle." 

"  And  yet  the  port  may  not  he  insulted.  We  are 
known  to  be  on  this  coast " 

"We  are  seen,"  interrupted  the  master,  "the  fel- 


102  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

low  has  worn  ship,  and  he  is  already  setting  his  top- 
gallant-sails." 

There  no  longer  remained  any  choice  between 
downright  flight  and  preparations  for 

THE   COMBAT. 

The  order  was  therefore  given  for  "all  hands  to 
clear  ship  for  action  !*'  It  was  in  the  reckless  nature 
of  sailors,  to  exult  in  this  summons  ;  for  success  and 
audacity  go  hand  in  hand,  and  long  familiarity  with 
the  first  had,  even  at  that  early  day,  given  a  confi- 
dence that  often  approached  temerity  to  the  seamen 
of  Great  Britain  and  her  dependencies.  The  mandate 
to  prepare  for  battle  was  received  by  the  feeble  crew 
of  the  Coquette,  as  it  had  often  been  received  before, 
when  her  decks  were  filled  with  the  number  necessary 
to  give  full  efficiency  to  her  armament ;  though  a  few 
of  the  older  and  more  experienced  of  the  mariners, 
men  in  whom  confidence  had  been  diminished  by  time, 
were  seen  to  shake  their  heads,  as  if  they  doubted  the 
prudence  of  the  intended  contest. 

Whatever  might  have  been  the  secret  hesitation  of 
Ludlow  when  the  character  and  force  of  his  enemy 
were  clearly  established,  he  betrayed  no  signs  of  irres- 
olution from  the  moment  when  his  decision  appeared 
to  be  taken.  The  necessary  orders  were  issued  calm- 
ly, and  with  the  clearness  and  readiness  that  perhaps 
constitute  the  greatest  merit  of  a  naval  captain.  The 
yards  were  slung  in  chains  ;  the  booms  were  sent 
down ;  the  lofty  sails  were  furled,  and,  in  shoi't,   all 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  103 

the  preparations  that  were  then  customary  were  made 
with  the  usual  promptitude  and  skill.  Then  the  drum 
beat  to  quarters,  and  when  the  people  were  at  their 
stations,  their  young  commander  had  a  better  oppor- 
tunity of  examining  into  the  true  efficiency  of  his  ship. 
Calling  to  the  master,  he  ascended  the  poop,  in  order 
that  they  might  confer  together  Avith  less  risk  of  being 
overheard,  and  at  the  same  time  better  observe  the 
manoeuvres  of  the  enemy. 

The  stranger  had,  as  Trysail  perceived,  suddenly 
worn  round  on  his  heel,  and  laid  his  head  to  the 
northward.  The  change  in  the  course  brought  him 
before  the  wind,  and,  as  he  immediately  spread  all 
the  canvas  that  would  draw,  he  was  approaching  fast. 
During  the  time  occupied  in  preparation  on  board  the 
Coquette,  his  hull  had  risen  as  it  were  from  out  of 
the  water  ;  and  Ludlow  and  his  companion  had  not 
studied  his  appearance  long,  from  the  poop,  before  the 
streak  of  white  paint,  dotted  Avith  ports,  which  marks 
a  vessel  of  Avar,  became  Arisible  to  the  naked  eye.  As 
the  cruiser  of  Queen  Anne  continued  also  to  steer  in 
the  direction  of  the  chase,  half  an  hour  more  brouffhl 
them  sufficiently  near  to  each  other  to  remove  all 
doubts  of  their  respective  characters  and  force.  The 
stranger  then  came  to  the  wind,  and  made  his  prepara- 
tions for  combat. 

"There  is  something  manly  and  becoming  in  seeing 
a  ship  strip  herself,  as  she  comes  into  action,  sir," 
said  Trysail  to  Captain  Ludlow;  "it  is  like  a  boxer 
taking  off  his  jacket  with  the  intention  of  making  a 
fair  stand  up  light  of  it.     That  fellow  is  filling  away 


104:  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

again,  and  means  to  manoeuvre  before  he  comes  up 
fairly  to  his  work." 

The  eye  of  Ludlow  had  never  quitted  the  stranger. 
He  saw  that  the  moment  for  serious  action  was  not 
distant ;  and  bidding  Trysail  keep  the  vessel  on  her 
course,  he  descended  to  the  quarter-deck. 

The  Coquette  was  built  after  a  fashion  much  in 
vogue  a  century  since.  The  accommodations  of  the 
commander  were  on  the  same  deck  with  the  batteries 
of  the  ship,  and  they  were  frequently  made  to  contain 
two  or  even  four  guns  of  the  armament.  When  Lud- 
low entered  his  cabin,  therefore,  he  found  a  crew 
stationed  around  the  gun  which  was  placed  on  the 
side  next  the  enemy,  and  all  the  customary  arrange- 
ments made  which  precede  a  combat.  The  state-rooms 
abaft,  however,  as  well  as  the  little  apartment  which 
lay  between  them,  were  closed.  Glancing  his  eye 
about  him,  and  observing  the  carpenters  in  readiness, 
he  made  a  signal  for  them  to  knock  away  the  bulk- 
heads, and  lay  the  whole  of  the  fighting  part  of  the 
ship  in  common.  While  this  duty  was  going  on,  he 
entered  the  after-cabin. 

Alderman  Van  Beverout  and  his  companions  were 
found  together,  and  evidently  in  expectation  of  the 
visit  they  now  received.  Passing  by  the  former,  Lud- 
low approached  his  niece,  and,  taking  her  hand,  he  led 
her  to  the  quarter-deck,  making  a  sign  for  her  female  at- 
tendant to  follow.  Descending  into  the  depths  of  the 
ship,  the  captain  conducted  his  charge  into  a  part  of 
the  berth-deck,  that  was  below  the  water  line,  and  as 
much  removed  from  danger  as  she  could  well  be, 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  105 

without  encountering  a  foul  air,  or  sights  that  might 
be  painful  to  one  of  her  sex  and  habits. 

"  Here  is  as  much  safety  as  a  vessel  of  war  affords, 
in  a  moment  like  this,"  he  said,  when  his  companion 
was  silently  seated  on  a  mess-chest.  "  On  no  account 
quit  the  spot,  till  I — or  some  other,  advise  you  it  may 
be  done  without  hazard.  I  know  your  strength  of 
mind,  and  that  you  have  a  resolution  which  exceeds 
the  courage  of  your  sex ;  else  I  would  not  venture  so 
freely  to  point  out  the  danger  which  may  beset  one, 
even  here,  without  a  self-command  and  discretion  that 
shall  restrain  all  sudden  impulses  of  fear." 

"  Notwithstanding  your  generous  interpretation  of 
my  character,  Ludlow,  I  am  but  woman  after  all." 

"  I  did  not  mistake  you  for  an  Amazon,"  returned 
the  young  man  smiling.  "  All  I  expect  from  you  is 
the  triumph  of  reason  over  female  terror.  I  shall  not 
conceal  that  the  odds — perhaps  I  may  say  that  the 
chances,  are  against  us ;  and  yet  the  enemy  must  pay 
for  my  ship,  ere  lie  lias  her!  She  will  be  none  the 
worse  defended,  Alida,  from  the  consciousness  that 
tliy  liberty  and  comfort  depend  in  some  measure  on 
our  exertions. " 

lie  would  have  continued  the  discourse,  but  a  gun 
fired  from  the  enemy  recalled  him  to  the  serious  busi- 
ness of  the  hour.  He  raised  her  hand  to  his  lips, 
and  rushed  upon  derk. 

"The  monsieur  is  beginning  to  bluster,"  said  Try- 
sail; "although  his  shot  fell  short,  it  is  loo  much  to 
let  a  Frenchman  have  the  credit  of  the  first  word." 

"lie  has  merely  given  the  weather-gun,  the  signal 


106  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

of  defiance.  Let  him  come  down  and  he  will  not  find 
us  in  a  hurry  to  leave  him,"  said  the  young  com- 
mander, motioning  to  Master  Seadrift  and  the  alder- 
man to  follow  him  to  the  poop. 

"  How  far,"  he  said,  addressing  his  prisoner,  "  you 
have  trifled  with  the  laws  I  do  not  wish  to  say  :  but 
here  is  an  opportunity  to  redeem  some  of  the  public 
favor.  You  are  a  seaman,  and  need  not  be  told  that 
my  ship  is  not  as  strongly  manned  as  one  could  wish 
her  at  this  moment,  and  that  the  services  of  every 
Englishman  will  be  welcome.  Take  charge  of  these 
six  guns,  and  depend  on  my  honor  that  your  devotion 
to  the  flag  shall  not  go  unrequited." 

"  You  much  mistake  my  vocation,  noble  captain  ;" 
returned  the  dealer  in  contraband,  faintly  laughing. 
"  Though  one  of  the  seas,  I  am  one  more  used  to  the 
calm  latitudes  than  to  these  whirlwinds  of  war.  You 
have  visited  the  brigantine  of  our  mistress,  and  must 
have  seen  that  her  temple  resembles  that  of  Janus 
more  than  that  of  Mars.  The  deck  of  the  Water- 
Witch  has  none  of  this  frowning  garniture  of  ar- 
tillery." 

Ludlow  listened  in  amazement.  Surprise,  incredu- 
lity, and  scorn,  were  each,  in  turn,  expressed  in  his 
fr<  >wnin£  countenance. 

"  This  is  unbecoming  language  for  one  of  your  call- 
ing," he  said,  scarce  deeming  it  necessary  to  conceal 
the  contempt  he  felt.  "  Dc  you  acknowledge  fealty 
to  this  ensign — are  you  an  Englishman  ?" 

"  I  am  such  as  Heaven  was  pleased  to  make  me — 
fitter  for  the  zephyr,  than  the  gale— the  jest,  than 


STOEIES    OF   THE    SEA.  107 

the  war-shout — the   merry  moment,  than  the  angry- 
mood." 

"  Is  this  the  man  whose  name  for  daring  lias  pass- 
ed into  a  proverb  ? — the  dauntless,  reckless,  skilful 
'  Skimmer  of  the  Seas  !' " 

"  North  is  not  more  removed  from  south,  than  I 
from  him  in  the  qualities  you  seek  !  It  was  not  my 
duty  to  undeceive  you  as  to  the  value  of  your  captive, 
while  he  whose  services  are  beyond  price  to  our  mis- 
trass  was  still  on  the  coast.  So  far  from  being  him 
you  name,  brave  captain,  I  claim  to  be  no  more  than 
one  of  his  agents,  who,  having  some  experience  in  the 
caprices  of  woman,  he  trusts  to  recommend  his  wares 
to  female  fancies.  Though  so  useless  in  inflicting  in- 
juries, I  may  make  bold  however  to  rate  myself  as 
excellent  at  consolation.  Suffer  that  I  appease  the 
fears  of  la  belle  Barberie  during  the  coming  tumult, 
and  you  shall  own  that  one  more  skilful  in  that  mer- 
ciful office  is  rare  indeed  !" 

"  Comfort  whom,  where,  and  what  thou  wilt,  mis- 
erable effigy  of  manhood  ! — but  hold,  there  is  less  of 
terror  than  of  artitice  in  that  lurking  smile  and  trea- 
cherous eye !" 

"  Discredit  both,  generous  captain  !  On  the  faith 
of  one  who  can  be  sincere  at  need,  a  wholesome  fear 
is  uppermost,  whatever  else  the  disobedient  members 
may  betray.  I  could  tain  weep  rather  than  be  thought 
valiant,  just  now  I" 

Ludlow  listened  in  wonder.  He  had  raised  an  arm 
to  arrest  the  retreat  of  the  young  mariner,  and  by  a 
natural  movement  his  hand  slid  along  the  limb  it  had 


108  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

grasped,  until  it  held  that  of  Seadrift.  The  instant 
he  touched  the  soft  and  ungloved  palm,  an  idea,  as 
novel  as  it  was  sudden,  crossed  his  brain.  Retreating 
a  step  or  two,  he  examined  the  light  and  agile  form  of 
the  other,  from  head  to  feet.  The  frown  of  displeasure, 
which  had  clouded  his  brow,  changed  to  a  look  of  un- 
feigned surprise  ;  and  for  the  first  time,  the  tones  of 
the  voice  came  over  his  recollection  as  being  softer 
and  more  melodious  than  is  wont  in  man. 

"  Truly,  thou  art  not  the  '  Skimmer  of  the  Seas !'  " 
he  exclaimed,  when  his  short  examination  was  ended. 

"  No  truth  more  certain.  I  am  one  of  little  account 
in  this  rude  encounter,  though,  were  that  gallant  sea- 
man here,"  and  the  color  deepened  on  the  cheeks  of 
Seadrift  as  he  spoke,  "  his  arm  and  counsel  might 
prove  a  host !  Oh !  I  have  seen  him  in  scenes  far  more 
trying  than  this,  when  the  elements  have  conspired 
with  other  dangers.  The  example  of  his  steadiness 
and  spirit  has  given  courage  even  to  the  feeblest  heart 
in  the  brigantine  !  Now,  suffer  me  to  offer  consola- 
tion to  the  timid  Alida." 

"  I  should  little  merit  her  gratitude,  were  the  re- 
quest refused,"  returned  Ludlow.  "  Go,  gay  and  gal- 
lant Master  Seadrift !  if  the  enemy  fears  thy  presence 
on  the  deck  as  little  as  I  dread  it  with  la  belle  Barberie, 
thy  services  here  will  be  useless  !" 

Seadrift  colored  to  the  temples,  crossed  his  arms 
meekly  on  his  bosom,  sunk  in  an  attitude  of  leave- 
taking,  that  was  so  equivocal  as  to  cause  the  attentive 
and  critical  young  captain  to  smile,  and  then  glided 
past  him  and  disappeared  through  a  hatchway. 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  109 

The  eye  of  Ludlow  followed  the  active  and  grace- 
ful form,  while  it  continued  in  sight ;  and  when  it  was 
no  longer  visible,  he  turned  to  the  alderman. 

"  And  is  this  example  of  heroism  to  go  any  farther, 
or  may  I  count  on  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Alderman 
Van  Beverout? — he  has  the  reputation  of  a  loyal 
citizen." 

"  I  have  heard  artillery  in  my  time,"  replied  the  Al- 
derman, "  having  in  my  younger  days  led  a  band  of 
city  volunteers  in  many  a  march  and  countermarch 
around  the  Bowling-Green  ;  and  for  the  honor  of  the 
second  ward  of  the  good  town  of  Manhattan,  I  am 
now  ready  to  undertake  to  show,  that  all  knowledge 
of  the  art  has  not  entirely  departed  from  me." 

"  That  is  a  manly  answer.  Choose  your  position 
among  any  of  these  guns,  and  we  will  make  an  effort 
to  disappoint  yon  servants  of  Louis." 

Myndert  descended  to  the  quarter-deck,  and  hav- 
ing deliberately  deposited  his  coat  on  the  capstan, 
replaced  his  wig  by  a  handkerchief,  and  tightened 
the  buckle  that  did  the  office  of  suspenders,  hesquint- 
ed  along  the  guns,  with  a  certain  air  that  served  to 
assure  the  spectators  he  had  at  least  no  dread  of 
the  recoil. 

"You  see  your  enemy,  and  you  know  your  work  !" 
said  the  clear,  deep,  manly  voice  of  Ludlow,  who,  as 
he  passed  among  the  people  of  the  Coquette,  spoke 
to  them  in  that  steady,  unwavering  tone  which,  in 
moments  of  danger,  goes  to  the  heart.  "I  shall  not 
pretend  that  we  are  as  strong  as  I  could  wish;  but 
the  greater  the  necessity  for  a  strong  pull,  the  readier 


110  STOKIES    OF  THE    SEA. 

a  true  seaman  will  be  to  give  it.  There  are  no  nails 
in  that  ensign.  When  I  am  dead,  you  may  pull  it 
down,  if  you  please ;  hut,  so  long  as  I  live,  my  men, 
there  it  shall  fly  !  And  now,  one  cheer  to  show  your 
humor,  and  then  let  the  rest  of  your  noise  €ome  from 
the  guns." 

The  crew  complied,  with  a  full-mouthed  and  hearty 
hurrah  ?  Trysail  assured  a  young,  laughing,  careless 
midshipman,  who  even  at  that  moment  could  enjoy 
an  uproar,  that  he  had  seldom  heard  a  prettier  piece 
of  sea-eloquence  than  that  which  had  just  fallen 
from  the  captain — it  being  both  neat  and  gentleman- 
like. 

The  vessel  which  appeared  so  inopportunely  for  the 
safety  of  the  ill-manned  British  cruiser,  was,  in  truth, 
a  ship  that  had  roved  from  among  the  islands  of  the 
Caribbean  sea,  in  quest  of  some  such  adventure  as 
that  which  iioav  presented  itself.  She  was  called  la 
belle  Fontange,  and  her  commander,  a  youth  of  two- 
and-twenty,  was  already  well  known  in  the  salons  of 
'the  Marais,  and  behind  the  walls  of  the  Rue  Basse 
des  Remparts,  as  one  of  the  most  gay  and  amiable  of 
those  who  frequented  the  former,  and  one  of  the  most 
spirited  and  skilful  among  the  adventurers  who  some- 
times trusted  to  their  address  in  the  latter.  Rank, 
and  influence  at  Versailles,  had  procured  for  the 
young  Chevalier  Dumont  de  la  Rocheforte  a  com- 
mand to  which  he  could  lay  no  claim  either  by  his 
experience  or  his  services. 

He  was  brave,  but  his  courage  was  not  the  calm 
and  silent  self-possession  of  a  seaman.     Like  himself, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  Ill 

it  was  lively,  buoyant,  thoughtless,  bustling,  and  full 
of  animal  feeling.  He  had  all  the  pride  of  a  gentle- 
man, and,  unfortunately  for  the  duty  which  he  had 
now  for  the  first  time  to  perform,  one  of  its  dictates 
taught  him  to  despise  that  species  of  mechanical 
knowledge,  which  it  was,  just  at  this  moment,  so  im- 
portant to  the  commander  of  the  la  Fontange  to  pos- 
sess. He  could  dance  to  admiration,  did  the  honors 
of  his  cabin  with  faultless  elegance,  and  had  caused 
the  death  of  an  excellent  mariner,  who  had  accident- 
ally fallen  overboard,  by  jumping  into  the  sea  to 
aid  him,  without  knowing  how  to  swim  a  stroke 
himself — a  rashness  that  had  diverted  those  exertions 
which  might  have  saved  the  unfortunate  sailor,  from 
the  assistance  of  the  subordinate  to  the  safety  of  his 
superior. 

It  was  perhaps  fortunate  for  the  safety  of  all  in  her, 
that  la  belle  Fontange  possessed  an  inferior  officer,  in 
the  person  of  a  native  of  Boulogne-sur-Mer,  who  was 
quite  competent  to  see  that  she  kept  the,  proper 
course,  and  that  she  displayed  none  of  the  top-gal- 
lants of  her  pride  at  unpropitious  moments.  The 
ship  itself  was  sufficiently  and  finely  moulded,  of  a 
light  and  airy  rig,  and  of  established  reputation  for 
speed.  If  it  was  defective  in  any  thing,  it  had  the 
fault,  in  common  with  its  commander,  of  a  want  of 
sufficient  solidity  to  resist  the  vicissitudes  and  dan- 
gers of  the  turbulent  element  on  which  it  was  des- 
tined to  act. 

The  vessels  were  now  within  a  mile  of  each  other. 
The  breeze  was  steady,  and  sufficiently  fresh  for  all 


112  STORIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

the  ordinary  evolutions  of  a  naval  combat ;  while  the 
water  was  just  quiet  enough  to  permit  the  ships  to 
be  handled  with  confidence  and  accuracy.  La  Fon- 
tange  was  running  with  her  head  to  the  eastward, 
and,  as  she  had  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  her  tall 
tracery  of  spars  leaned  gently  in  the  direction  of  her 
adversary.  The  Coquette  was  standing  on  the  other 
tack,  and  necessarily  inclined  from  her  enemy.  Both 
vessels  were  stripped  to  their  top-sails,  spankers,  and 
jibs,  though  the  lofty  sails  of  the  Frenchman  were 
fluttering  in  the  breeze,  like  the  graceful  folds  of 
some  fanciful  drapery.  No  human  being  was  dis- 
tinctly visible  in  either  fabric,  though  dark  clusters 
around  each  mast-head  showed  that  the  ready  top- 
men  were  prepared  to  discharge  their  duties,  even  in 
the  confusion  and  dangers  of  the  impending  contest. 
Once  or  twice,  la  Fontange  inclined  her  head  more 
in  the  direction  of  her  adversary  ;  and  then,  sweeping 
up  again  to  the  wind,  she  stood  on  in  stately  beauty. 
The  moment  was  near  when  the  ships  were  about  to 
cross  each  other,  at  a  point  where  a  musket  would 
readily  send  its  messenger  across  the  water  that  lay 
between  them.  Ludlow,  who  closely  watched  each 
change  of  position,  and  every  rise  and  fall  of  the 
breeze,  went  on  the  poop,  and  swept  the  horizon  with 
his  glass,  for  the  last  time  before  his  ship  should  be 
enveloped  in  smoke.  To  his  surprise,  he  discovered 
a  pyramid  of  canvas,  rising  above  the  sea,  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  wind.  The  sail  was  clearly  visible  to 
the  naked  eye,  and  had  only  escaped  earlier  observa- 
tion in  the  duties  of  so  urgent  a  moment.     Calling 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  113 

the  master  to  his  side,  he  inquired  his  opinion  con- 
cerning the  character  of  the  second  stranger.  But 
Trysail  confessed  it  exceeded  even  his  long-tried 
powers  of  observation  to  say  more  than  that  it  was 
a  ship  running  before  the  wind,  with  a  cloud  of  sail 
spread.  After  a  second  and  longer  look,  however, 
the  experienced  master  ventured  to  add  that  the 
stranger  had  the  squareness  and  symmetry  of  a 
cruiser,  but  of  what  size  he  would  not  yet  presume 
to  declare. 

"  It  may  be  a  light  ship,  under  her  top-gallant  and 
studding-sails,  or  it  may  be,  that  we  see  only  the  lofty 
duck  of  some  heavier  vessel,  Captain  Ludlow.  Ha ! 
he  has  caught  the  eye  of  the  Frenchman,  for  the 
corvette  has  signals  abroad  !" 

"  To  your  glass  ! — If  the  stranger  answer,  we  have 
no  choice  but  our  speed." 

There  was  another  keen  and  anxious  examination 
of  the  upper  spars  of  the  distant  ship,  but  the  direc- 
tion of  the  wind  prevented  any  signs  of  her  communi- 
cating with  the  corvette  from  beincr  visible.  La  Fon- 
tango  appeared  equally  uncertain  of  t lie  character  of 
the  stranger,  and  for  a  moment  there  was  some  evi- 
dence of  an  intention  to  change  her  course.  I.nl  the 
moment  for  indecision  had  passed.  The  ships  were 
already  sweeping  up  abreast  of  each  other,  under  the 
constant  pressure  of  the  breeze. 

"  Be  ready,  men!"  said  Ludlow,  in  a  low  but  firm 
voice,  retaining  his  elevated  post  on   the  poop,  while 
he  motioned  to  his  companion  to  return  to  the  main- 
deck.     "  Fire  at  his  flash  !" 
8 


114  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

Intense  expectation  succeeded.  The  two  graceful 
fabrics  sailed  steadily  on,  and  came  within  hail.  So 
profound  was  the  stillness  in  the  Coquette,  that  the 
rushing  sound  of  the  water  she  heaped  under  her 
bows  was  distinctly  audible  to  all  on  board,  and  might 
be  likened  to  the  deep  breathing  of  some  vast  animal, 
that  was  collecting  its  physical  energies  for  some  un- 
usual exertion.  On  the  other  hand,  tongues  Avere  loud 
and  clamorous  among  the  cordage  of  la  Fontange. 
Just  as  the  ships  were  fairly  abeam,  the  voice  of 
young  Dumont  was  heard,  shouting  through  a  trum- 
pet, for  his  men  to  iire.  Ludlow  smiled,  in  a  seamen's 
scorn.  Raising  his  own  trumpet,  with  a  quiet  gesture 
to  his  attentive  and  ready  crew,  the  whole  discharge 
of  their  artillery  broke  out  of  the  dark  side  of  the 
ship,  as  if  it  had  been  by  the  volition  of  the  fabric. 
The  answering  broadside  was  received  almost  as  soon 
as  their  own  had  been  given,  and  the  two  vessels  passed 
swiftly  without  the  line  of  shot. 

The  wind  had  sent  back  their  own  smoke  upon  the 
English,  and  for  a  time  it  floated  on  their  decks, 
wreathed  itself  in  the  eddies  of  the  sails,  and  passed 
away  to  leeward,  with  the  breeze  that  succeeded  to 
the  counter-current  of  the  explosions.  The  whistling 
of  shot,  and  the  crash  of  wood,  had  been  heard  amid 
the  din  of  the  combat.  Giving  a  glance  at  his  enemy, 
who  still  stood  on,  Ludlow  leaned  from  the  poop,  and, 
with  all  a  sailor's  anxiety,  he  endeavored  to  scan  the 
gear  aloft. 

"  What  is  gone,  sir  ?"  he  asked  of  Trysail,  whose 
earnest  face  just  then   became  visible   through   the 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  115 

drifting  smoke.  "  What  sail  is  so  heavily  flap- 
ping ?" 

"  Little  harm  done,  sir — little  harm — bear  a  hand 
with  the  tackle  on  that  fore-yard-arm,  you  lubbers ! 
you  move  like  snails  in  a  minuet.  The  fellow  has  shot 
away  the  lee  fore-top-sail-sheet,  sir ;  but  we  shall  soon 
get  our  wings  spread  again.  Lash  it  down,  boys,  as 
if  it  were  butt-bolted ; — so ;  steady  out  your  bowline, 
forward. — Meet  her,  you  can ;  meet  her  you  may — 
meet  her  1" 

The  smoke  had  disappeared,  and  the  eye  of  the 
captain  rapidly  scanned  the  whole  of  his  ship.  Three 
or  four  top-men  had  already  caught  the  flapping  can- 
vas, and  were  seated  on  the  extremity  of  the  fore- 
yard,  busied  in  securing  their  prize.  A  hole  or  two 
was  visible  in  the  other  sails,  and  here  and  there  an 
unimportant  rope  was  dangling  in  a  manner  to  show 
that  it  had  been  cut  by  shot.  Further  than  this, 
the  damage  aloft  was  not  of  a  nature  to  attract  his 
attention. 

There  was  a  different  scene  on  deck.  The  feeble 
crew  were  earnestly  occupied  in  loading  the  guns, 
and  rammers  and  sponges  were  handled,  with  all 
the  intenseness  which  men  would  manifest  in  a  mo- 
ment so  exciting.  The  alderman  was  never  more 
absorbed  in  his  leger  than  he  now  appeared  in  his 
duty  of  a  cannoneer;  and  the  youths,  to  whom  the 
command  of  the  batteries  had  necessarily  been  con- 
fided, diligently  aided  him  with  their  greater  author- 
ity and  experience.  Trysail  stood  near  the  capstan, 
coolly  giving  the   orders  which   have  been   related, 


116  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

and  gazing  upward  with  an  interest  so  absorbed  as 
to  render  him  unconscious  of  all  that  passed  around 
his  person. 

These  were  the  observations  of  a  single  minute. 
The  different  circumstances  related  had  been  ascer- 
tained with  so  many  rapid  glances  of  the  eye,  and 
they  had  even  been  noted  without  losing  for  a  mo- 
ment the  knowledge  of  the  precise  situation  of  la 
Fontange.  The  latter  was  already  in  stays.  It  be- 
came necessary  to  meet  the  evolution  by  another  as 
prompt. 

The  order  was  no  sooner  given,  than  the  Coquette, 
as  if  conscious  of  the  hazard  she  ran  of  being  raked, 
whirled  away  from  the  wind,  and,  by  the  time  her 
adversary  was  ready  to  deliver  her  other  broadside 
she  was  in  a  position  to  receive  and  to  return  it. 
Again  the  ships  approached  each  other,  and  once 
more  they  exchanged  their  streams  of  fire  when 
abeam. 

Ludlow  now  saw,  through  the  smoke,  the  ponder- 
ous yard  of  la  Fontange  swinging  heavily  against 
the  breeze,  and  the  main-topsail  come  flapping  against 
her  mast.  Swinging  off  from  the  poop  by  a  back- 
stay that  had  been  shot  away  a  moment  before, 
he  alighted  on  the  quarter-deck  by  the  side  of  the 
master. 

"Touch  all  the  braces!"  he  said,  hastily,  but  still 
speaking  low  and  clearly;  "give  a  drag  upon  the 
bowlines — luff,  sir,  luff;  jam  the  ship  up  hard  against 
the  wind !" 

The   clear,  steady  answer  of  the    quarter-master, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  117 

and  the  manner  in  which  the  Coquette,  still  vomiting 
her  sheets  of  flame,  inclined  toward  the  breeze,  an- 
nounced the  promptitude  of  the  subordinates.  In 
another  minute,  the  vast  volumes  of  smoke  which 
enveloped  the  two  ships  joined,  and  formed  one 
white  and  troubled  cloud,  which  was  rolling  swiftly 
before  the  explosions,  over  the  surface  of  the  sea,  but 
which,  a.s  it  rose  higher  in  the  air,  sailed  gracefully  to 
leeward. 

Our  young  commander  passed  swiftly  through  the 
batteries,  spoke  encouragingly  to  his  people,  and  re- 
sumed  his  post  on  the  poop.  The  stationary  position 
of  la  Fontange,  and  his  own  efforts  to  get  to  wind- 
ward, were  already  proving  advantageous  to  Queen 
Anne's  cruiser.  There  was  some  indecision  on  the 
part  of  the  other  ship,  which  instantly  caught  the 
eye  of  one  whose  readiness  in  his  profession  so  much 
resembled  instinct. 

The  Chevalier  Dumont  had  amused  his  leisure  by 
running  his  eyes  over  the  records  of  the  naval  history 
of  his  country,  where  he  had  found  this  and  that 
commander  applauded  for  throwing  their  topsails  to 
the  mast,  abreasl  of  their  enemies.  Ignorant  of  the 
difference  between  a  ship  in  line  and  one  engaged 
singly,  he  had  determined  to  prove  himself  equal  to 
a  similar  display  of  spirit.  At  the  moment  when  Lud- 
low was  standing  alone  on  the  poop,  watching  with 
vigilanl  eyes  the  progress  of  his  own  vessel,  and  the 
position  Of  his  enemy,  indicating  merely  by  a  look  or 
a  gesture  to  the  attentive  Trysail  beneath,  what  he 
wished  done,  there    was   actually   a  wordy  discussion 


118  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  latter,  "between  the  mariner 
of  Boulogne-sur-Mer,  and    the    gay  favorite    of  the 
saloons.     They  debated  on  the  expediency  of  the  step 
which  the  latter  had  taken,  to  prove  the  existence  of 
a  quality  that  no  one  doubted.     The  time  lost  in  this 
difference  of  opinion  was  of  the  last  importance  to  the 
British  cruiser.     Standing  gallantly  on,  she  was  soon 
out  of  the  range  of  her  adversary's  fire ;  and,  before 
the  Boulognois  had  succeeded  in  convincing  his  su- 
perior of  his  error,  their  antagonist  was  on  the  other 
tack,   and  luffing  across  the  wake  of  la  Fontange. 
The  topsail  was  then  tardily  filled,  but  before  the 
latter  ship  had  recovered  her  motion,  the  sails  of  her 
enemy  overshadowed  her  deck.  There  was  now  every 
prospect  of  the  Coquette  passing  to  windward.     At 
that  critical  moment,  the  fair-setting  topsail  of  the 
British  cruiser  was  nearly  rent  in  two  by  a  shot.   The 
ship  fell  off,  the  yards  interlocked,  and  the  vessels 
were  foul. 

The  Coquette  had  all  the  advantage  of  position. 
Perceiving  the  important  fact  at  a  glance,  Ludlow 
made  sure  of  its  continuance  by  throwing  his  grap- 
nels. When  the  two  ships  were  thus  firmly  lashed 
together,  the  young  Dumont  found  himself  relieved 
from  a  mountain  of  embarrassment.  Sufficiently 
justified  by  the  fact  that  not  a  single  gun  of  his  own 
would  bear,  while  a  murderous  discharge  of  grape 
had  just  swept  along  his  decks,  he  issued  the  order 
to  board.  But  Ludlow,  with  his  weakened  crew,  had 
not  decided  on  so  hazardous  an  evolution  as  that 
which  brought  him  in  absolute  contact  with  his  ene- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  119 

my,  without  foreseeing  the  means  of  avoiding  all  the 
consequences.  The  vessels  touched  each  other  only 
at  one  point,  and  this  spot  was  protected  by  a  row  of 
muskets.  No  sooner,  therefore,  did  the  impetuous 
young  Frenchman  appear  on  the  taffrail  of  his  own 
ship,  supported  by  a  band  of  followers,  than  a  close 
and  deadly  lire  swept  them  away  to  a  man.  Young 
Dumont  alone  remained.  For  a  single  moment  his 
eye  glared  wildly ;  but  the  active  frame,  still  obedi- 
ent to  the  governing  impulse  of  so  impetuous  a  spirit, 
leaped  onward.  He  fell,  without  life,  on  the  deck  of 
his  enemy. 

Ludlow  watched  every  moment,  with  a  calmness 
that  neither  personal  responsibility,  nor  the  uproar 
and  rapid  incidents  of  the  terrible  scene  could  dis- 
compose. 

"  Now  is  our  time  to  bring  the  matter  hand  to 
hand!"  he  cried,  making  a  gesture  to  Trysail  to  de- 
scend from  the  ladder,  in  order  that  lie  might  pass. 

His  arm  was  arrested,  and  the  grave  old  master 
pointed  to  windward. 

"There  is  no  mistaking  the  cut  of  those  sails,  or 
the  lofty  rise  of  those  spars  !  The  stranger  is  another 
Frenchman  !" 

One  glance  told  Ludlow  thai  his  subordinate  was 
right ;  another  sufficed  to  show  what  was  now  neces- 
sary. 

"Cast  loose  the  forward  grapnel — cut  it — away 
with  it,  clear!"  was  shouted,  through  his  trumpet,  in 
a  voice  that  rose  commanding  and  clear  amid  the  roar 

of  the  combat. 


120  STORIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

Released  forward,  the  stern  of  the  Coquette  yielded 
to  the  pressure  of  her  enemy,  whose  sails  were  all 
drawing,  and  she  was  soon  in  a  position  to  enable  her 
head-yards  to  he  braced  sharp  aback,  in  a  direction 
opposite  to  the  one  in  which  she  had  so  lately  lain. 
The  whole  broadside  was  then  delivered  into  the 
stern  of  la  Fontange,  the  last  grapnel  was  released 
and  the  ships  separated. 

The  single  spirit  which  presided  over  the  evolu- 
tions and  exertions  of  the  Coquette  still  governed  her 
movements.  The  sails  were  trimmed,  the  ship  was 
got  in  command,  and,  before  the  vessels  had  been 
asunder  five  minutes,  the  duty  of  the  vessel  was  in  its 
ordinary  active  but  noiseless  train. 

Nimble  top-men  were  on  the  yards,  and  broad  folds 
of  fresh  canvas  were  flapping  in  the  breeze,  as  the 
new  sails  were  bent  and  set.  Ropes  were  spliced,  or 
supplied  by  new  rigging,  the  spars  examined,  and  in 
fine  all  that  watchfulness  and  sedulous  care  were  ob- 
served which  are  so  necessary  to  the  efficiency  and 
safety  of  a  ship.  Every  spar  was  secured,  the  pumps 
were  sounded,  and  the  vessel  held  on  her  way,  as 
steadily  as  if  she  had  never  fired  nor  received  a  shot. 

On  the  other  hand,  la  Fontange  betrayed  the  inde- 
cision and  confusion  of  a  worsted  ship.  Her  torn 
canvas  was  blowing  about  in  disorder,  many  import- 
ant ropes  beat  against  her  masts  unheeded,  and  the 
vessel  itself  drove  before  the  breeze  in  the  helpless- 
ness of  a  wreck.  For  several  minutes  there  seemed 
no  controlling  mind  in  the  fabric ;  and  when,  after  so 
much  distance  was  lost  as  to  give  her  enemy  all  the 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  121 

advantage  of  the  wind,  a  tardy  attempt  was  made  to 
bring  the  ship  np  again,  the  tallest  and  most  import- 
ant of  her  masts  were  seen  tottering,  until  it  finally 
fell  with  all  its  hamper  into  the  sea. 

Notwithstanding  the  absence  of  so  many  of  his 
people,  success  would  now  have  been  certain,  had  not 
the  presence  of  the  stranger  compelled  Ludlow  to 
abandon  his  advantage.  But  the  consequences  to 
his  own  vessel  were  too  sure,  to  allow  of  more  than  a 
natural  and  manly  regret  that  so  favorable  an  occa- 
sion should  escape  him.  The  character  of  the  stranger 
could  no  longer  be  mistaken.  The  eye  of  every  sea- 
man in  the  Coquette  as  well  understood  the  country 
of  the  high  and  narrow-headed  sails,  the  tall,  taper 
masts  and  short  yards  of  the  frigate  whose  hull  was 
now  distinctly  visible,  as  a  landsman  recognizes  an 
individual  by  the  distinguishing  marks  of  his  features 
or  attire.  Had  there  been  any  lingering  doubts  on 
the  subject,  they  would  have  all  given  place  to  cer- 
tainty, when  the  stranger  was  seen  exchanging  sig- 
nals with  the  crippled  corvette. 

It  was  now  time  for  Ludlow  to  come  to  a  speedy 
determination  on  his  future  course.  The  breeze  si  ill 
held  to  the  southward,  hut  it  was  beginning  to  lessen, 
with  every  appearance  that  it  would  fail  before  night- 
fall. The  land  lay  a  few  leagues  to  the  northward, 
and  the  whole  horizon  of  the  ocean,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  two  French  cruisers,  was  clear.  Descend- 
ing to  the  quarter-deck,  he  approached  the  master, 
who  was  seated  in  the  chair,  while  l  lie  surgeon 
dressed  a  severe  hurt  in  one  of  his   lejjs.     Shaking 


122  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

the  sturdy  veteran  cordially  by  the  hand,  he  ex- 
pressed his  acknowledgments  for  his  support  in  a 
moment  so  trying. 

"  God  bless  you !  God  bless  you !  Captain  Ludlow ;" 
returned  the  old  sailor,  dashing  his  hand  equivocally 
across  his  weatherbeaten  brow.  "  Battle  is  certainly 
the  place  to  try  both  ship  and  friends,  and,  Heaven  be 
praised !  Queen  Anne  has  not  failed  of  either  this 
day.  No  man  has  forgotten  his  duty,  so  far  as  my 
eyes  have  witnessed;  and  this  is  saying  no  trifle 
with  half  a  crew  and  an  equal  enemy." 

"  I  have  come  to  ask  thy  advice,  my  old  friend, 
concerning  our  next  movements.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  fellow  who  is  coming  down  upon  us  is  both 
a  Frenchman  and  a  frigate." 

"A  man  might  as  well  doubt  the  nature  of  a  fish- 
hawk,  which  is  to  pick  up  all  the  small  fry,  and  to 
let  the  big  ones  go.  We  might  show  him  our  canvas 
and  try  the  open  sea,  but  I  fear  that  fore-mast  is  too 
weak,  with  three  such  holes  in  it,  to  bear  the  sail  we 
should  need !" 

"  What  think  you  of  the  wind  ?"  said  Ludlow. 
"  Should  it  hold,  we  might  double  Montauk,  and  re- 
turn for  the  rest  of  our  people ;  but  should  it  fail,  is 
there  no  danger  that  the  frigate  should  tow  within 
shot  ?     We  have  no  boats  to  escape  her." 

"The  soundings  on  this  coast  are  as  regular  as  the 
roof  of  an  out-house,"  said  the  master,  after  a  mo- 
ment of  thought ;  "  and  it  is  my  advice,  if  it  is  your 
pleasure  to  ask  it,  Captain  Ludlow,  that  we  shoal 
our  water  as  much  as  possible,  while  the  wind  lasts. 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  123 

Then,  I  think,  we  shall  be  safe  from  a  very  near  visit 
from  the  big  one ;  as  for  the  corvette,  I  am  of  opinion 
that,  like  a  man  who  has  eaten  his  dinner,  she  has  no 
stomach  for  another  slice." 

Ludlow  applauded  the  advice  of  his  subordinate, 
for  it  was  precisely  what  he  had  determined  on  do- 
ing ;  and  after  again  complimenting  him  on  his  cool- 
ness and  skill,  he  issued  the  necessary  orders.  The 
helm  of  the  Coquette  was  now  placed  hard  a-weather, 
the  yards  were  squared,  and  the  ship  was  put  before 
the  wind.  After  running  in  this  direction  for  a  few 
hours,  the  wind  gradually  lessening,  the  lead  announc- 
ed that  the  keel  was  quite  as  near  the  bottom  as  the 
time  of  the  tide,  and  the  dull  heaving  and  setting  of 
the  element,  rendered  at  all  prudent.  The  breeze 
soon  after  fell,  and  then  our  young  commander  order- 
ed an  anchor  to  be  dropped  into  the  sea. 

His  example,  in  the  latter  respect,  was  imitated  by 
the  hostile  cruisers.  They  had  soon  joined,  and  boats 
were  seen  passing  from  one  to  the  other,  so  long  as 
there  was  light.  When  the  sun  fell  behind  the  west- 
ern margin  of  the  ocean,  their  dusky  outlines,  distant 
about  a  league,  gradually  grew  less  and  less  distinct, 
until  the  darkness  of  night  enveloped  sea  and  hind  in 
its  gloom. 

Tin:    NIGHT   ATTACK. 

Three  hours   later,  and   every  noise  was  hushed  on 

board  the  royal  cruiser.  The  toil  of  repairing  dam- 
ages   hail    ceased,    and    most  of  the   living,  with  the 


124  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

dead,  lay  alike  in  common  silence.  The  watchfulness 
necessary  to  the  situation  of  the  fatigued  mariners, 
> however,  was  not  forgotten,  and  though  so  many 
slept,  a  few  eyes  were  still  open,  and  affecting  to  he 
alert.  Here  and  there,  some  drowsy  seaman  paced 
the  deck,  or  a  solitary  young  officer  endeavored  to 
keep  himself  awake,  by  humming  a  low  air,  in  his 
narrow  bounds.  The  mass  of  the  erew  slept  heavily, 
with  pistols  in  their  belts  and  cutlasses  at  their  sides, 
between  the  guns.  There  was  one  figure  extended 
upon  the  quarter-deck,  with  the  head  resting  on  a 
shot-box.  The  deep  breathing  of  this  person  denoted 
the  unquiet  slumbers  of  a  powerful  frame,  in  which 
weariness  contentled  with  suffering.  It  was  the 
wounded  and  feverish  master,  who  had  placed  him- 
self in  that  position  to  catch  an  hour  of  the  repose 
that  was  necessary  to  his  situation. 

There  was  one  little  group  on  the  raised  deck  in 
the  stern  of  the  vessel,  in  which  the  ordinary  inter- 
ests of  life  still  seemed  to  exercise  their  influence. 
Hither  Ludlow  had  led  Alida  and  her  companions, 
after  the  duties  of  the  day  were  over,  in  order  that 
they  might  breathe  an  air  fresher  than  that  of  the 
intei-ior  of  the  vessel.  The  negress  nodded  near 
her  young  mistress ;  the  tired  alderman  sat  with  his 
back  supported  against  the  mizzen-mast,  giving  audi- 
ble evidence  of  his  situation ;  and  Ludlow  stood  erect, 
occasionally  throwing  an  earnest  look  on  the  sui1- 
rounding  and  unruffled  waters,  and  then  lending  his 
attention  to  the  discourse  of  his  companions.  Alida 
and  Seadrift  were  seated  near  each  other,  on  chairs. 


STORIES   OF   TIIE   SEA.  125 

The  conversation  was  low,  while  the  melancholy  and 
the  tremor  in  the  voice  of  la  helle  Barberie  denoted 
how  much  the  events  of  the  day  had  shaken  her 
usually  firm  and  spirited  mind. 

"  There  is  a  mingling  of  the  terrific  and  the  beauti- 
ful, of  the  grand  and  the  seducing,  in  this  unquiet 
profession  of  yours !"  observed,  or  rather  continued 
Alida,  replying  to  a  previous  remark  of  the  young 
sailor.  "  That  tranquil  sea — the  hollow  sound  of  the 
surf  on  the  shore — and  this  soft  canopy  above  us  form 
objects  on  which  even  a  girl  might  dwell  in  admira- 
tion, were  not  her  ears  still  ringing  with  the  roar 
and  cries  of  the  combat.  Did  you  say  the  commander 
of  the  Frenchman  was  but  a  youth  ?" 

"A  mere  boy  in  appearance,  and  one  who  doubt- 
less owed  his  rank  to  the  advantages  of  birth  and 
family." 

"Perhaps  he  has  a  mother,  Ludlow — a  sister — a 
wife — or — " 

"He  may  have  had  one,  or  all!  Such  are  the  sail- 
or's hazards,  ami — " 

"  Such  the  hazards  of  those  who  feel  an  interest  in 
their  safety!"  uttered  the  low  but  expressive  voice 
of  Seadrift. 

A  deep  and  eloquent  silence  succeeded.  Then  the 
voice  of  Myndert  was  heard  muttering  indistinctly, 
"twenty  of  beaver,  and  three  of  marten — as  per  in- 
voice." The  smile  which,  spite  of  the  train  of  his 
thoughts,  rose  <>n  the  lips  of  Ludlow,  had  scarcely 
passed  away,  when  the  hoarse  tones  of  Trysail,  ren- 
dered still  hoarser  by  hi-  sleep,  were  plainly  heard  in 


126  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

a  stifled  cry,  saying,  "  Bear  a  hand,  there,  with  your 
stoppers ! — the  Frenchman  is  coming  round  upon  us, 
again." 

"  That  is  prophetic !"  said  one,  aloud,  behind  the 
listening  group.  Ludlow  turned,  quick  as  the  flag- 
fluttering  on  its  vane,  and  through  the  darkness  he 
recognized,  in  the  motionless  but  manly  form  that 
stood  near  him  on  the  poop,  the  fine  person  of  the 
'  Skimmer  of  the  Seas.' 

"  Call  away !" 

"  Call  none  !" — interrupted  Tiller,  stopping  the  hur- 
ried order  which  involuntarily  broke  from  the  lips  of 
Ludlow.  "  Let  thy  ship  feign  the  silence  of  a  wreck, 
but,  in  truth,  let  there  be  watchfulness  and  preparation 
even  to  her  store-rooms!  You  have  done  Avell,  Cap- 
tain Ludlow,  to  be  on  the  alert,  though  I  have  known 
sharper  eyes  than  those  of  some  of  your  look-outs." 

"  Whence  come  you,  audacious  man,  and  what 
mad  errand  has  brought  you  again  on  the  deck  of 
my  ship?" 

"  I  come  from  my  habitation  on  the  sea.  My  busi- 
ness here  is  warning !" 

"The  sea!"  echoed  Ludlow,  gazing  about  him  at 
the  narrow  and  empty  view.  "  The  hour  for  mockery 
is  past,  and  you  would  do  well  to  trifle  no  more  with 
those  who  have  serious  duties  to  discharge." 

"The  hour  is  indeed  one  for  serious  duties — duties 
more  serious  than  any  you  apprehend.  But  before  I 
enter  on  explanation,  there  must  be  conditions  be- 
tween us.  You  have  one  of  the  sea-green  lady's 
servitors,  here ;  I  claim  his  liberty,  for  my  secret." 


STOEIES   OF   THE    SEA.  127 

"The  error  into  which  I  had  fallen  exists  no 
longer ;"  returned  Ludlow,  looking  for  an  instant 
toward  the  shrinking  form  of  Seadrift.  "  My  con- 
quest is  worthless,  unless  you  come  to  supply  his 
place." 

"  I  come  for  other  purposes — here  is  one  who 
knows  I  do  not  trifle  when  urgent  affairs  are  on 
hand.  Let  thy  companions  retire,  that  I  may  speak 
openly." 

Ludlow  hesitated,  for  he  had  not  yet  recovered  from 
the  surprise  of  finding  the  redoubtable  free-trader  so 
unexpectedly  on  the  deck  of  his  ship.  But  Alida  and 
her  companion  arose;  like  those  who  had  more  confid- 
ence in  their  visitor,  and,  arousing  the  negress  from 
her  sleep,  they  descended  the  ladder  and  entered  the 
cabin.  When  Ludlow  found  himself  alone  with  Tiller, 
he  demanded  an  explanation. 

"  It  shall  not  be  withheld,  for  time  presses,  and  that 
which  is  to  be  done  must  be  done  with  a  seaman's  care 
:m<l  coolness;"  returned  the  other.  "Youhavehad  a 
close  brush  with  one  of  Louis's  rovers,  Captain  Lud- 
low, and  prettily  was  the  ship  of  Queen  Anne  handled  ! 
Have  your  people  suffered,  and  are  you  still  strong 
enough  to  make  good  a  defence  worthy  of  your  con- 
<ln  ■!  this  morning?" 

"These  are  facts  you  would  have  me  utter  to  the 
ear  of  one  who  may  be  false  ; — even  a  spy  !" 

"Captain  Ludlow — but  circumstances  warrant  thy 

suspicious  !" 

"One  whose  vessel  ami  lite  I  have  threatened — an 
outlaw  !" 


128  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  This  is  too  true,"  returned  the  '  Skimmer  of  the 
Seas,'  suppressing  a  sudden  impulse  of  pride  and  re- 
sentment. "  I  am  threatened  and  pursued — I  am  a 
smuggler  and  an  outlaw  :  still  am  I  human  !  "You 
see  that  dusky  object,  which  borders  the  sea  to  the 
northward !" 

"  It  is  too  plainly  land,  to  be  mistaken." 

"  Land,  and  the  land  of  my  birth ! — the  earliest,  per- 
haps I  may  say  the  happiest  of  my  days,  were  passed 
on  that  long  and  narrow  island." 

"  Had  I  known  it  earlier,  there  woidd  have  been  a 
closer  look  among  its  bays  and  inlets." 

"  The  search  might  have  been  rewarded.  A  can- 
non would  easily  throw  its  shot  from  this  deck  to 
the  spot  where  my  brigantine  now  lies,  snug  at  a 
single  anchor." 

"  Unless  you  have  swept  her  near  since  the  setting 
of  the  sun,  that  is  impossible !  When  the  night  drew 
on,  nothing  was  in  view  but  the  frigate  and  corvette 
of  the  enemy." 

"  We  have  not  stirred  a  fathom  ;  and  yet,  true  as  the 
word  of  a  fearless  man,  there  lies  the  vessel  of  the 
sea-green  lady.  You  see  the  place  where  the  beach 
falls — here,  at  the  nearest  point  of  the  land — the  island 
is  nearly  severed  by  the  water  at  that  spot,  and  the 
Water- Witch  is  safe  in  the  depths  of  the  bay  which 
enters  from  the  northward.  There  is  not  a  mile  be- 
tween us.  From  the  eastern  hill,  I  Avitnessed  your 
spirit  this  day,  Captain  Ludlow,  and  though  condemn 
ed  in  person,  I  felt  that  the  heart  could  never  be  out- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  129 

lawed.  There  is  a  fealty  here  that  can  survive  even 
the  persecutions  of  the  custom-houses  !" 

"  You  are  happy  in  your  terms,  sir.  I  will  not  con- 
ceal that  I  think  a  seaman,  even  as  skilful  as  yourself, 
must  allow  that  the  Coquette  was  kept  prettily  in 
command  !" 

"  No  pilot-boat  could  have  been  more  sure,  or  more 
lively.  I  knew  your  weakness,  for  the  absence  of  all 
your  boats  was  no  secret  to  me  ;  and  I  confess  I  could 
have  spared  some  of  the  profits  of  the  voyage,  to  have 
been  on  your  decks  this  day  with  a  dozen  of  my  truest 
fellows !" 

"  A  man  who  can  feel  this  loyalty  to  the  flag, 
should  find  a  more  honorable  occupation  for  his 
usual  life." 

"  A  country  that  can  inspire  it,  should  be  cautious 
not  to  estrange  the  affections  of  its  children,  by  mo- 
nopolies and  injustice.  But  these  are  discussions  un- 
suited  to  the  moment.  I  am  doubly  your  countryman 
in  this  strait,  and  all  the  past  is  no  more  than  the  rough 
liberties  which  friends  take  with  each  other.  Captain 
Ludlow,  there  is  danger  brooding  in  that  dark  void 
which  lies  to  seaward!" 

"  On  what  authority  do  you  speak  thus?" 

'•  Sight.  I  have  been  among  your  enemies,  and 
have  seen  their  deadly  preparations.  I  know  the  cau- 
tion is  given  to  a  brave  man,  and  nothing  shall  be  ex- 
tenuated. You  have  need  of  all  your  resolution  and 
of  every  arm — for  they  will  be  upon  you,  in  overwhelm- 
ing numbers!" 

"True  or  false,  thy  warning  shall  not  be  neglected." 
9 


130  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

"  Hold !"  said  the  Skimmer,  arresting  a  forward 
movement  of  his  companion,  with  his  hand.  "  Let 
them  sleep  to  the  last  moment.  You  have  yet  an  hour, 
and  rest  will  renew  their  strength.  You  may  trust 
the  experience  of  a  seamen  who  has  passed  half  of  the 
life  of  man  on  the  ocean,  and  who  has  witnessed  all  its 
most  stirring  scenes,  from  the  conflict  of  the  elements 
to  every  variety  of  strife  that  man  has  invented  to 
destroy  his  fellows.  For  another  hour,  you  will  be 
secure.  After  that  hour,  God  protect  the  unprepared ! 
and  God  be  merciful  to  him  whose  minutes  are  num- 
bered !" 

"  Thy  language  and  manner  are  those  of  one  who 
deals  honestly  ;"  returned  Ludlow,  struck  by  the  ap- 
parent sincerity  of  the  free-trader's  communication. 
"In  every  event,  we  shall  be  ready,  though  the  man- 
ner of  your  having  gained  this  knowledge  is  as  great 
a  mystery  as  your  appearance  on  the  deck  of  my 
ship." 

"  Both  can  be  explained,"  returned  the  Skimmer, 
motioning  to  his  companion  to  follow  to  the  taffrail. 
Here  he  pointed  to  a  small  and  nearly  imperceptible 
skiff,  which  floated  at  the  bottom  of  a  stern-ladder, 
and  continued — "  One  who  so  often  pays  secret  visits 
to  the  land,  can  never  be  in  want  of  the  means.  This 
nut-shell  was  easily  transported  across  the  narrow  slip 
of  land  that  separates  the  bay  from  the  ocean,  and 
though  tlic  surf  moans  so  hoarsely,  it  is  easily  passed 
by  a  steady  and  dexterous  oarsman.  I  have  been 
under  the  martingale  of  the  Frenchman,  and  you  see 
that  I  am  here.     If  your  look-outs  are  less  alert  than 


STORIES   OF   TIIE   SEA  131 

usual,  you  will  remember  that  a  low  gunwale,  a  dusky 
side,  and  a  muffled  oar,  are  not  readily  detected,  when 
the  eye  is  heavy  and  the  body  wearied.  I  must  now 
quit  you — unless  you  think  it  more  prudent  to  send 
those  who  can  be  of  no  service,  out  of  the  ship,  before 
the  trial  shall  come  ?" 

Ludlow  hesitated.  A  strong  desire  to  put  Alida 
in  a  pla«e  of  safety,  was  met  by  his  distrust  of  the 
smuggler's  faith.  He  reflected  a  moment,  ere  he  an- 
swered. 

"Your  cockle-shell  is  not  sufficiently  secure  for 
more  than  its  owner.  Go,  and  as  you  prove  loyal, 
may  you  prosper !" 

"  Abide  the  blow  !"  said  the  Skimmer,  grasping  his 
hand.  He  then  stepped  carelessly  on  the  dangling 
ropes  and  descended  into  the  boat  beneath.  Ludlow 
watched  his  movements  with  an  intense  and  possibly 
with  a  distrustful  curiosity.  When  seated  at  the 
sculls,  the  person  of  the  free-trader  was  nearly  in- 
distinct;  and  as  the  boat  glided  noiselessly  away, 
the  young  commander  no  longer  felt  disposed  to 
censure  those  who  had  permitted  its  approach  with- 
out a  warning.  In  less  than  a  minute  the  dusky  ob- 
ject was  confounded  with  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

Left  to  himself,  the  young  commander  of  the  Co- 
quette seriously  reflected  on  what  had  passed.  The 
manner  of  the  Skimmer,  the  voluntary  character  of 
his  communication,  iis  probability,  and  the  means  by 
which  his  knowledge  had  been  obtained,  united  to 
confirm  his  truth.  Instances  of  similar  attachment 
to  their  Hag,  in  seamen  whose  ordinary  pursuits  were 


132  STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

opposed  to  its  interests,  were  not  uncommon.  Their 
misdeeds  resemble  the  errors  of  passion  and  tempta- 
tion, while  the  momentary  return  to  better  things  is 
like  the  inextinguishable  impulses  of  nature. 

The  admonition  of  the  free-trader,  who  had  en- 
joined the  captain  to  allow  his  people  to  sleep,  was 
remembered.  Twenty  times,  within  as  many  min- 
utes, did  our  young  sailor  examine  his  watch,  to  note 
ths  tardy  passage  of  the  time ;  and  as  often  did  he 
return  it  to  his  pocket,  with  a  determination  to  for- 
bear. At  length  he  descended  to  the  quarter-deck, 
and  drew  near  the  only  form  that  was  erect.  The 
watch  was  commanded  by  a  youth  of  sixteen,  whose 
regular  period  of  probationary  service  had  not  passed, 
but  who,  in  the  absence  of  his  superiors,  was  intrusted 
with  this  delicate  and  important  duty.  He  stood 
leaning  against  the  capstan,  one  hand  supporting  his 
cheek,  while  the  elbow  rested  against  the  drum,  and 
the  body  was  without  motion.  Ludlow  regarded 
him  a  moment,  and  then  lifting  a  lighted  battle- 
lantern  to  his  face,  he  saw  that  he  slept.  Without 
disturbing  the  delinquent  the  captain  replaced  the 
lantern  and  passed  forward.  In  the  gangway  there 
stood  a  marine,  with  his  musket  shouldered,  in  an 
attitude  of  attention.  As  Ludlow  brushed  within  a 
few  inches  of  his  eyes,  it  was  easy  to  be  seen  that 
they  opened  and  shut  involuntarily,  and  without  con- 
sciousness of  what  lay  before  them.  On  the  top- 
gallant-forecastle was  a  short,  square,  and  well-bal- 
anced figure,  that  stood  without  support  of  any  kind, 
with  both  arms  thrust  into  the  bosom  of  a  jacket, 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  133 

and  a  head  that  turned  slowly  to  the  west  and  south, 
as  if  it  were  examining  the  ocean  in  those  direc- 
tions. 

Stepping  lightly  up  the  ladder,  Ludlow  saw  that  it 
was  the  veteran  seaman  who  was  rated  as  the  captain 
of  the  forecastle. 

"  I  am  glad,  at  last,  to  find  one  pair  of  eyes  open, 
in  my  ship,"  said  the  captain.  "  Of  the  whole  watch, 
you  alone  are  alert." 

"I  have  doubled  cape  fifty,  your  honor,  and  the 
seaman  who  has  made  that  voyage,  rarely  wants  the 
second  call  of  the  boatswain.  Young  heads  have 
young  eyes,  and  sleep  is  next  to  food,  after  a  heavy 
drag  at  gun-tackles  and  lanyards." 

"And  what  draws  your  attention  so  steadily  in 
that  quarter  ?  There  is  nothing  visible  but  the  haze 
of  the  sea." 

"  'Tis  the  direction  of  the  Frenchmen,  sir — does 
your  honor  hear  nothing?" 

"Nothing;"  said  Ludlow,  after  intently  listening 
for  half  a  minute.  "Nothing,  unless  it  be  the  wash 
of  the  surf  on  the  beach." 

"  It  may  be  only  fancy,  but  there  came  a  sound 
like  the  fall  of  an  oar-blade  on  a  thwart,  and  'tis  but 
natural,  your  honor,  to  expect  the  mounsheer  will  be 
out,  in  this  smooth  water  to  see  what  has  become  of 
us.  There  went  the  flash  of  alight,  or  my  name  is 
not  Bob  Cleet !" 

Ludlow  was  silent.  A  light  was  certainly  visible 
in  the  quarter  where  the  enemy  was  known  to  be 
anchored,  and  it  came  and  disappeared  like  a  moving 


134  STORIES    OF   TIIE    SEA. 

lantern.     At  length  it  was  seen  to  descend  slowly, 
and  vanish  as  if  it  were  extinguished  in  the  water. 

"  That  lantern  went  into  a  boat,  Captain  Ludlow, 
though  a  lubber  carried  it !"  said  the  positive  old 
forecastle-man,  shaking  his  head  and  beginning  to 
pace  across  the  deck,  with  the  air  of  a  man  who 
needed  no  further  confirmation  of  his  suspicions. 

Ludlow  returned  toward  the  quarter-deck,  thought- 
ful but  calm.  He  passed  among  his  sleeping  crew, 
without  awaking  a  man,  and  even  forbearing  to  touch 
the  still  motionless  midshipman,  he  entered  his  cabin 
without  speaking. 

The  commander  of  the  Coquette  was  absent  but 
a  few  minutes.  When  he  again  appeared  on  deck, 
there  was  more  of  decision  and  of  preparation  in  his 
manner. 

"  'Tis  time  to  call  the  watch,  Mr.  Reef;"  he  whis- 
pered at  the  elbow  of  the  drowsy  officer  of  the  deck, 
without  betraying  his  consciousness  of  the  youth's 
forgetfulness  of  duty.     "  The  glass  is  out." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir.  Bear  a  hand,  and  turn  the  glass!" 
muttered  the  young  man.  "  A  fine  night,  sir,  and 
very  smooth  water.     I  was  just  thinking  of " 

"Home  and  thy  mother!  'Tis  the  way  with  us  all 
in  youth.  Well,  we  have  now  something  else  to  oc- 
cupy the  thoughts.  Muster  all  the  gentlemen,  here 
on  the  quarter-deck,  sir." 

When  the  half-sleeping  midshipman  quitted  his 
captain  to  obey  this  order,  the  latter  drew  near  the 
spot  where  Trysail  still  lay  in  an  unquiet  sleep.  A 
light  touch  of  a  single  finger  was  sufficient  to  raise 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  135 

the  master  on  his  feet.  The  first  look  of  the  veteran 
tar  was  aloft,  the  second  at  the  heavens,  and  the  last 
at  his  captain. 

"  I  fear  thy  wound  stiffens,  and  that  the  night  air 
has  added  to  the  pain?"  observed  the  latter,  speaking 
in  a  kind  and  considerate  tone. 

"  The  wounded  spar  cannot  be  trusted  like  a  sound 
stick,  Captain  Ludlow ;  but  as  I  am  no  foot-soldier 
on  a  march,  the  duty  of  the  ship  may  go  on  without 
my  calling  for  a  horse."  ' 

"  I  rejoice  in  thy  cheerful  spirit,  my  old  friend,  for 
here  is  serious  work  likely  to  fall  upon  our  hands. 
The  Frenchmen  are  in  their  boats,  and  we  shall 
shortly  he  brought  to  close  quarters,  or  prognostics 
are  false." 

"Boats!"  repeated  the  master.  "Iliad  rather  it 
were  under  our  canvas,  with  a  stiff"  breeze!  The 
play  of  this  ship  is  a  lively  foot,  and  a  touching  leech; 
but  when  it  comes  to  boats,  a  marine  is  nearly  as 
good  a  man  as  a  quarter-master!" 

"  We  must  take  fortune  as  it  offers.  Here  is  our 
council!  It  is  composed  of  young  heads,  but  of 
hearts  thai  might  do  credit  to  gray  hairs." 

Ludlow  joined  the  little  group  of  officers  that  was 
by  this  lime  assembled  near  the  capstan.  Here,  in  a 
few  words,  lie  explained  the  reason  why  he  had  sum- 
moned them  from  their  sleep.  When  each  of  the 
youths  understood  his  orders,  and  the  nature  of  the 
new  danger  that  threatened  the  ship,  they  separated, 
and  began  to  enter  with  activity,  but  in  guarded 
silence,  on  the  necessary  preparations.     The  sound  of 


136  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

footsteps  awoke  a  dozen  of  the  older  seamen,  who 
immediately  joined  their  officers. 

Half  an  hour  passed  like  a  moment,  in  such  an 
occupation.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  Ludlow  deemed 
his  ship  ready.  The  two  forward  guns  had  been  run 
in,  and  the  shot  having  been  drawn,  their  places  were 
supplied  with  double  charges  of  grape  and  canister. 
Several  swivels,  a  species  of  armament  much  used  in 
that  age,  were  loaded  to  the  muzzles,  and  placed  in 
situations  to  rake  the  deck,  while  the  fore-top  was 
plentifully  stored  with  arms  and  ammunition.  The 
matches  were  prepared,  and  then  the  whole  of  the 
creAV  was  mustered,  by  a  particular  call  of  each  man. 
Five  minutes  sufficed  to  issue  the  necessary  orders, 
and  to  see  each  post  occupied.  After  this,  the  low 
hum  ceased  in  the  ship,  and  the  silence  again  became 
so  deep  and  general,  that  the  wash  of  the  receding 
surf  was  nearly  as  audible  as  the  plunge  of  the  wave 
on  the  sands. 

Ludlow  stood  on  the  forecastle,  accompanied  by  the 
master.  Here  he  lent  all  his  senses  to  the  appearance 
of  the  elements,  and  to  the  signs  of  the  moment. 
Wind  there  was  none,  though  occasionally  a  breath 
of  hot  air  came  from  the  land,  like  the  first  efforts  of 
the  night-breeze.  The  heavens  were  clouded,  though 
a  few  thoughtful  stars  glimmered  between  the  masses 
of  vapor. 

"  A  calmer  night  never  shut  in  the  Americas  !"  said 
the  veteran  Trysail,  shaking  his  head  doubtingly  and 
speaking  in  a  suppressed  and  cautious  tone.  "  I  am 
one  of  those,  Captain  Ludlow,  who  think  more  than 


STORIES   OF   THE   SEA.  137 

half  the  virtue  is  out  of  a  ship  when  her  anchor  is 
down !" 

"With  a  weakened  crew,  it  may  be  better  for  us 
that  the  people  have  no  yards  to  handle,  nor  any 
bowlines  to  steady.  All  our  care  can  be  given  to 
defence." 

"  This  is  much  like  telling  the  hawk  he  can  fight 
the  better  with  a  clipped  wing,  since  he  has  not  the 
trouble  of  flying.  'Tis  a  gloomy  night,  Captain  Lud- 
low, and  one  that  is  sparing  of  its  stars.  I  never  knew 
luck  come  of  an  expedition  on  which  a  natural  light  did 
not  fall !" 

"  So  much  the  worse  for  those  who  seek  to  harm 
us.     I  surely  heard  an  oar  in  the  rullock !" 

"  It  came  from  the  shore,  and  had  the  sound  of  the 
land  about  it;"  quietly  returned  the  master,  one  sure- 
ly s]>oke — here,  in  a  line  with  yonder  low  star  !" 

"  Was  it  not  a  water-fowl  ?" 

"No gull — ha  !  here  we  have  the  object,  just  within 
the  starboard  jib  boom-guy.  There  comes  the  French- 
man in  his  pride,  ami 'twill  be  lucky  for  him  who  lives 
to  count  the  slain,  or  to  boast  of  his  deeds !" 

The  master  descended  from  theforcastle,  and  passed 
among  the  crew,  with  every  thought  recalled  from  its 
excursive  flight  to  the  duty  of  the  moment.  Ludlow 
continued  on  the  forecastle,  alone.  There  was  a  low, 
whispering  sound  in  the  ship,  lik<  that  which  is  made 
by  the  murmuring  of  a  rising  breeze — and  then  all 
was  still  as  death. 

The  Coquette  lav  with  her  head  to  seaward,  the 
stern  necessarily  pointing  toward  the  land.     The  dis- 


138  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

tance  from  the  latter  Avas  less  than  a  mile,  and  the 
direction  of  the  ship's  hull  was  caused  by  the  course 
of  the  heavy  ground-swell,  which  incessantly  rolled 
the  waters  on  the  wide  beach  of  the  island.  The 
head-gear  lay  in  the  way  of  the  dim  view,  and  Lud- 
low walked  out  on  the  bowsprit,  in  order  that  nothing 
should  lie  between  him  and  the  part  of  the  ocean  he 
wished  to  study.  He  had  not  stood  a  minute,  when 
he  caught,  first  a  confused  and  then  a  more  distinct 
glimpse  of  a  line  of  dark  objects,  advancing  slowly  to- 
ward the  ship.  Assured  of  the  position  of  his  enemy, 
he  returned  in-board,  and  descended  among  his  people. 
In  another  moment  he  was  again  on  the  forecastle, 
across  which  he  paced  leisurely,  and,  to  all  appear- 
ance, with  the  calmness  of  one  who  enjoyed  the  re- 
freshing coolness  of  the  night. 

At  the  distance  of  a  hundred  fathoms,  the  dusky  line 
of  boats  paused,  and  began  to  change  its  order.  At 
that  instant  the  first  puffs  of  the  land  breeze  were  felt, 
and  the  stern  of  the  ship  made  a  gentle  inclination 
seaward. 

"  Help  her  with  the  mizzen  !  Let  fall  the  topsail !" 
whispered  the  young  captain  to  those  beneath  him. 
Ere  another  moment,  the  flap  of  the  loosened  sail 
was  heard.  The  ship  swung  still  further,  and  LudloAV 
stamped  on  the  deck. 

A  round  fiery  light  shot  beyond  the  martingale, 
and  the  smoke  rolled  along  the  sea,  outstripped  by  a 
crowd  of  missiles  that  were  hissing  across  the  water. 
A  shout,  in  which  command  was  mingled  with  shrieks, 
followed,  and  then  oar-blades  were  heard  dashing  the 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  139 

water  aside,  regardless  of  concealment.  The  ocean 
lighted,  and  three  or  four  boat-guns  returned  the 
fatal  discharge  from  the  ship.  Ludlow  had  not  spoken. 
Still  alone  on  his  elevated  and  exposed  post,  he  watch- 
ed the  effects  of  both  fires,  with  a  commander's  cool- 
ness. The  smile  that  struggled  about  his  compressed 
mouth,  when  the  momentary  confusion  among  the 
boats  betrayed  the  success  of  his  own  attack,  had  been 
wild  and  exulting;  but  when  he  heard  the  rending  of 
the  plank  beneath  him,  the  heavy  groans  that  succeed- 
ed, and  the  rattling  of  lighter  objects  that  were  scat- 
tered by  the  shot,  as  it  passed  with  lessened  force 
along  the  deck  of  his  ship,  it  became  fierce  and  resent- 
ful. 

"Let  them  have  it!"  he  shouted,  in  a  clear,  ani- 
mating voice,  that  assured  the  people  of  his  presence 
and  his  care.  "Show  them  the  humor  of  an  English- 
man's sleep,  my  lads  !  Sjieak  to  them,  tops  and 
decks  1" 

The  order  was  obeyed.  The  remaining  bow-gun 
was  fired,  and  the  discharge  of  all  the  Coquette's 
musketry  and  blunderbusses  followed.  A  crowd  of 
boats  came  sweeping  under  the  bowsprit  of  the  ship 
at  the  same  moment,  and  then  arose  the  clamor  and 
shouts  of  the  boarders. 

The  succeeding  minutes  wore  full  of  confusion,  and 
of  devoted  exertion.  Twice  were  the  head  and  bow- 
sprit of  the  ship  idled  with  dark  groups  of  men, 
whose  grim  visages  were  only  visible  by  the  pistol's 
Hash,  and  as  often  Were  they  cleared  by  the  pike  and 
bayonet.    A  third  effort  was  more  successful,  and  the 


140  STOKIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

tread  of  the  assailants  was  heard  on  the  deck  of  the 
forecastle.  The  struggle  was  but  momentary,  though 
many  fell,  and  the  narrow  arena  was  soon  slippery 
with  blood.  The  Boulognese  mariner  Avas  foremost 
among  his  countrymen,  and  at  that  desperate  emer- 
gency Ludlow  and  Trysail  fought  in  the  common 
herd.  Numbers  prevailed,  and  it  was  fortunate  for 
the  commander  of  the  Coquette,  that  the  sudden 
recoil  of  a  human  body  that  fell  upon  him,  drove  him 
from  his  footing  to  the  deck  beneath. 

Recovering  from  the  fall,  the  young  captain  cheered 
his  men  by  his  voice,  and  was  answered  by  the  deep- 
mouthed  shouts  which  an  excited  seaman  is  ever 
ready  to  deliver,  even  to  the  death. 

"  Rally  in  the  gangways,  and  defy  them !"  was  the 
animated  cry — "  Rally  in  the  gangways,  hearts  of 
oak,"  was  returned  by  Trysail,  in  a  ready  but 
weakened  voice.  The  men  obeyed,  and  Ludlow  saw 
that  he  could  still  muster  a  force  capable  of  resist- 
ance. 

Both  parties  for  a  moment  paused.  The  fire  of  the 
top  annoyed  the  boarders,  and  the  defendants  hesitated 
to  advance.  But  the  rush  from  both  was  common, 
and  a  fierce  encounter  occurred  at  the  foot  of  the  fore- 
mast. The  crowd  thickened  in  the  rear  of  the  French, 
and  one  of  their  number  no  sooner  fell  than  another 
filled  his  place.  The  English  receded,  and  Ludlow, 
extricating  himself  from  the  mast,  retired  to  the 
quarter-deck. 

"  Give  way,  men !"  he  again  shouted,  so  clear  and 
steady,  as  to  be  heard  above  the  cries  and  execra- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  141 

tions  of  the  fight.    "  Into  the  wings — down — between 
the  guns — down — to  your  covers !" 

The  English  disappeared,  as  if  by  magic.  Some 
leaped  upon  the  ridge-ropes,  others  sought  the  protec- 
tion of  the  guns,  and  many  went  through  the  hatches. 
At  that  moment  Ludlow  made  his  most  desperate  ef- 
fort. Aided  by  the  gunner,  he  applied  matches  to  the 
two  swivels,  which  had  been  placed  in  readiness  for 
a  last  resort.  The  deck  was  enveloped  in  smoke,  and, 
when  the  vapor  lifted,  the  forward  part  of  the  ship 
was  as  clear  as  if  man  had  never  trod  it.  All  who 
had  not  fallen,  had  vanished. 

A  shout,  and  a  loud  hurra !  brought  back  the  de- 
fendants, and  Ludlow  headed  a  charge  upon  the  top- 
gallant-forecastle, again,  in  person.  A  few  of  the  as- 
sailants showed  themselves  from  behind  covers  on 
the  deck,  and  the  struggle  was  renewed.  Glaring 
balls  of  fire  sailed  over  the  heads  of  the  combatants, 
and  fell  among  the  throng  in  the  rear.  Ludlow  saw 
the  danger,  and  he  endeavored  to  urge  his  people  on 
to  regain  the  how-guns,  one  of  which  was  known  to 
be  loaded.  But  the  explosion  of  a  grenade  on  deck, 
and  in  his  rear,  was  followed  by  a  shock  in  the  hold, 
that  threatened  to  force  the  bottom  out  of  the  vessel. 
The  alarmed  and  weakened  crew  began  to  waver, 
and  as  a  fresli  attack  of  grenades  was  followed  by  a 
tierce  rally,  in  which  the  assailants  brought  up  fifty 
men  in  a  body  from  their  boats,  Ludlow  found  him- 
self compelled  to  retire  amid  the  retreating  mass  of 
his  own  crew. 

The  defence  now  assumed  the  character  of  hope- 


142  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

less  but  desperate  resistance.  The  cries  of  the  enemy 
were  more  and  more  clamorous  ;  and  they  succeeded 
in  nearly  silencing  the  top  by  a  heavy  fire  of  mus- 
ketry established  on  the  bowsprit  and  sprit-sail-yard. 

Events  passed  much  faster  than  they  can  be  re- 
lated. The  enemy  were  in  possession  of  all  the  for- 
ward part  of  the  ship  to  her  fore-hatches,  but  into 
these  young  Hopper  had  thrown  himself,  with  half 
a  dozen  men,  and,  aided  by  a  brother  midshipman  in 
the  launch,  backed  by  a  few  followers,  they  still  held 
the  assailants  at  bay.  Ludlow  cast  an  eye  behind 
him,  and  began  to  think  of  selling  his  life  as  dearly 
as  possible  in  the  cabins.  That  glance  was  arrested 
by  the  sight  of  the  malign  smile  of  the  sea-green  lady, 
as  the  gleaming  face  rose  above  the  taffrail.  A  dozen 
dark  forms  leaped  upon  the  poop,  and  then  arose  a 
voice  that  sent  every  tone  it  uttered  to  his  heart. 

"Abide  the  shock!"  was  the  shout  of  those  who 
came  to  the  succor ;  and  "  abide  the  shock !"  was 
echoed  by  the  crew.  The  mysterious  image  glided 
along  the  deck,  and  Ludlow  knew  the  athletic  frame 
that  brushed  through  the  throng  at  its  side. 

There  was  little  noise  in  the  onset,  save  the  groans 
of  the  sufferers.  It  endured  but  a  moment,  but  it 
was  a  moment  that  resembled  the  passage  of  a  whirl- 
wind. The  defendants  knew  that  they  were  succored, 
and  the  assailants  recoiled  before  so  unexpected  a 
foe.  The  few  that  were  caught  beneath  the  fore-cas- 
tle were  mercilessly  slain,  and  those  above  were  swept 
from  their  post,  like  chaff  drifting  in  a  gale.  The 
living  and  the  dead  were  heard  falling  alike  into  the 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  143 

sea,  and  in  an  unconceivably  short  space  of  time,  the 
decks  of  the  Coquette  were  free. 

The  hurried  dash  of  oars  followed,  and  before  the 
defendants  had  time  to  assure  themselves  of  the 
completeness  of  their  success,  the  gloomy  void  of  the 
surrounding  ocean  had  swallowed  up  the  boats. 

From  the  moment  when  the  Coquette  fired  her 
first  gun,  to  the  moment  when  the  retiring  boats  be- 
came invisible,  was  just  twenty  minutes.  Of  this 
time,  less  than  half  had  been  occupied  by  the  inci- 
dents related  in  the  ship.  Short  as  it  was,  in  truth, 
it  seemed  to  all  engaged  but  an  instant.  The  alarm 
was  over,  the  sound  of  the  oars  had  ceased,  and  still 
the  survivors  stood  at  their  posts,  as  if  expecting  the 
attack  to  be  renewed.  Then  came  those  personal 
thoughts  which  had  been  suspended  in  the  fearful 
exigency  of  such  a  struggle.  The  wounded  began  to 
feel  their  pain,  and  to  be  sensible  of  the  danger  of 
their  injuries ;  while  the  few  who  had  escaped  un- 
hurt turned  a  friendly  care  on  their  shipmates.  Lud- 
low, as  often  happens  with  the  bravest  and  most  ex- 
posed, had  escaped  without  a  scratch;  but  he  saw 
by  the  drooping  forms  around  him,  which  were  no 
longer  sustained  by  the  excitement  of  battle,  that  his 
triumph  was  dearly  purchased. 

"  Send  Mr.  Trysail  to  me ;"  he  said,  in  a  tone  that 
had  little  of  a  victor's  exultation.  "The  land  breeze 
has  made,  and  we  will  endeavor  to  improve  it,  and 
get  inside  the  cape,  lest  the  morning  light  give  us 
more  of  these  Frenchmen." 

The  order  for  "  Mr.  Trysail !"  "  the  captain  calls  the 


144  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

master !"  passed  in  a  low  call  from  mouth  to  mouth, 
but  it  was  unanswered.  A  seaman  told  the  expecting 
young  commander,  that  the  surgeon  desired  his  pres- 
ence forward.  A  gleaming  of  lights  and  a  little 
group  at  the  foot  of  the  foremast,  were  a  Deacon  not 
to  be  mistaken.  The  weatherbeaten  master  was  in 
the  agony  ;  and  his  medical  attendant  had  just  risen 
from  a  fruitless  examination  of  his  wounds,  as  Lud- 
low approached. 

"  I  hope  the  hui't  is  not  serious  ?"  hurriedly  whis- 
pered the  alarmed  young  sailor  to  the  surgeon,  who 
was  coolly  collecting  his  instruments,  in  order  to  ad- 
minister to  some  more  promising  subject.  "  Neglect 
nothing  that  your  art  can  suggest." 

"  The  case  is  desperate,  Captain  Ludlow,"  returned 
the  phlegmatic  surgeon. 

"Would  to  God,  that  some  portion  of  these  in- 
juries had  befallen  those  who  are  younger  and 
stronger!"  murmured  the  captain,  as  he  leaned  over 
the  dying  master.  "  Can  I  do  ought  to  relieve  thy 
mind,  my  old  and  worthy  shipmate  ?" 

"  Take  care  of  the  ship — I  have  been  thinking  of 
our  people — you'll  have  to  cut — they  can  never  lift 
the  anchor." 

"  All  this  is  ordered.  Trouble  thyself  no  further 
about  the  vessel ;  speak  of  thy  wife,  and  of  thy  wishes 
in  England." 

"  God  bless  Mrs.  Trysail !  She'll  get  a  pension,  and 
I  hop©  contentment !  You  must  give  the  reef  a  good 
berth  in  rounding  Montauk " 

The  voice  of  the  master   sunk  to  a  whisper,  and 


STORIES   OF   THE    SEA.  145 

became  inaudible.  Ludlow  thought  he  strove  to 
speak  again,  and  he  bent  his  ear  to  his  mouth. 

"I  say — the  weather-main-swifter  and  both  back- 
stays are  gone  ;  look  to  the  spars,  for — for — there 
are  sometimes — heavy  puffs  at  night — in  the  Ameri- 
cas!" 

The  last  heavy  respiration  succeeded,  after  which 
came  the  long  silence  of  death.  The  body  was  re- 
moved to  the  poop,  and  Ludlow,  with  a  saddened 
heart,  turned  to  duties  that  this  accident  rendered 
still  more  imperative. 

Notwithstanding  the  heavy  loss,  and  the  originally 
weakened  state  of  her  crew,  the  sails  of  the  Coquette 
were  soon  spread,  and  the  ship  moved  away  in  silence, 
as  if  sorrowing  for  those  who  had  fallen  at  her  an- 
chorage.  When  the  vessel  was  fairly  in  motion,  her 
captain  ascended  to  the  poop,  in  order  to  command  a 
clearer  view  of  all  around  him,  as  well  as  to  profit  by 
the  situation  to  arrange  his  plans  for  the  future.  He 
found  he  had  been  anticipated  by  the  free-trader. 

"I  owe  my  ship — I  may  say  my  life,  since  in  such 
a  conflict  they  would  have  gone  together,  to  thy 
succor!"  said  the  young  commander,  as  he  approach- 
ed the  motionless  form  of  the  smuggler.  "  Without 
it  Queen  Anne  would  have  lost  a  cruiser,  and  the 
flag  of  England  a  portion  of  its  well-earned  glory." 

"May  thy  royal  mistress  prove  as  ready  to  remem- 
ber her  friends,  in  emergencies,  as  mine.  In  good 
truth,  there  was  little  time  to  lose,  and  trust  me,  we 
well  understood  the  extremity,  If  we  were  tardy, 
it  was  because  whale-boats  were  to  be  brought  from 
10 


146  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

a  distance ;  for  the  land  lies  between  my  brigantine 
and  the  sea." 

"He  who  came  so  opportunely,  and  acted  so  well, 
needs  no  apology." 

"  Captain  Ludlow,  are  we  friends  ?" 

"It  cannot  be  otherwise.  All  minor  considera- 
tions must  be  lost  in  such  a  service.  If  it  is  your  in- 
tention to  push  this  illegal  trade  further,  on  the  coast, 
I  must  seek  another  station." 

"  Not  so.  Remain,  and  do  credit  to  your  flag,  and 
the  land  of  your  birth.  I  have  long  thought  that 
this  is  the  last  time  the  keel  of  the  Water-Witch  will 
ever  plough  the  American  seas." 

THE  SHIP  ON"  FIRE. 

The  Skimmer  paused,  for  at  that  moment  a  fierce 
light  glared  upon  the  ocean,  the  ship,  and  all  in  it. 
The  two  seamen  gazed  at  each  other  in  silence,  and 
both  recoiled,  as  men  recede  before  an  unexpected 
and  fearful  attack.  But  a  bright  and  wavering  light, 
which  rose  out  of  the  forward  hatch  of  the  vessel 
explained  all.  At  the  same  moment,  the  deep  still- 
ness which,  since  the  bustle  of  making  sail  had  ceased, 
pervaded  the  ship,  was  broken  by  the  appalling  cry 
of  "Fire!" 

The  alarm  which  brings  the  blood  in  the  swiftest 
current  to  a  seaman's  heart,  was  now  heard  in  the 
depths  of  the  vessel.  The  smothered  sounds  below, 
the  advancing  uproar,  and  the  rush  on  deck,  with  the 
awful  summons  in  the  open  air,  succeeded  each  other 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  1-iT 

with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  A  dozen  voices  re- 
peated the  word  the  "  grenade !"  proclaiming  in  a 
breath  both  the  danger  and  the  cause.  But  an  in- 
stant before,  the  swelling  canvas,  the  dusky  spars, 
and  the  faint  lines  of  the  cordage,  were  only  to  be 
traeed  by  the  glimmering  light  of  the  stars  ;  and  now 
the  whole  hamper  of  the  ship  was  the  more  conspicu- 
ous, from  the  obscure  background  against  which  it 
was  drawn  in  distinct  lines.  The  sight  was  fearfully 
beautiful — beautiful,  for  it  showed  the  symmetry  and 
fine  outlines  of  the  vessel's  rig,  resembling  the  effect 
of  a  group  of  statuary  seen  by  torchlight — and  fear- 
ful, since  the  dark  void  beyond  seemed  to  declare 
their  isolated  and  helpless  state. 

There  was  one  breathless,  eloquent  moment,  in 
which  all  were  seen  gazing  at  the  grand  spectacle  in 
mute  awe — and  then  a  voice  rose,  clear,  distinct,  and 
commanding,  above  the  sullen  sound  of  the  torrent  ot 
fire,  which  was  roaring  among  the  avenues  of  the  ship. 

"Call  all  hands  to  extinguish  fire!  gentlemen,  to 
your  stations.     Be  cool,  men  ;   and  be  silent!" 

There  was  a  calmness  and  an  authority  in  the  tones 
of  the  young  commander,  that  curbed  the  impetuous 
feelings  of  the  startled  crew.  Accustomed  to  obedi- 
ence, and  trained  to  order,  each  man  broke  out  of  his 
trance,  and  eagerly  coninienced  the  discharge  of  his 
allotted  duly.  At  thai  instant,  an  ereel  and  unmoved 
form  stood  on  the  combings  of  the  main-hatch.  A 
hand  was  raised  in  the  air,  and  the  call,  which  came 
from  the  deep  chest,  was  like  that  of  one  used  to 
speak  in  the  tempest. 


14:8  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  Where  are  my  brigantines  ?"  it  said — "  Come 
away  there,  my  sea-dogs  ;  wet  the  light  sails,  and 
follow  !" 

A  group  of  grave  and  submissive  mariners  gather- 
ed about  the  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas,"  at  the  sound  of 
his  voice.  Glancing  an  eye  over  them,  as  if  to  scan 
their  quality  and  number,  he  smiled,  with  a  look  in 
which  high  daring  and  practised  self-command  were 
blended  with  a  constitutional  galte  de  coeur. 

"  One  deck,  or  two !" — he  added  ;  "  what  avails  a 
plank,  more  or  less,  in  an  explosion  ? — Follow  !" 

The  free-trader  and  his  people  disappeared  in  the 
interior  of  the  ship.  An  interval  of  great  and  reso- 
lute exertion  succeeded.  Blankets,  sails,  and  every 
thing  which  offered,  and  which  promised  to  be  of  use, 
were  wetted  and  cast  upon  the  flames.  The  engine 
was  brought  to  bear,  and  the  ship  was  deluged  with 
water.  But  the  confined  space,  with  the  heat  and 
smoke,  rendered  it  impossible  to  penetrate  to  those 
parts  of  the  vessel  where  the  conflagration  raged. 
The  ardor  of  the  men  abated  as  hope  lessened,  and 
after  half  an  hour  of  fruitless  exertion,  Ludlow  saw, 
with  pain,  that  his  assistants  began  to  yield  to  the  in- 
extinguishable principle  of  nature.  The  appearance 
Of  the  Skimmer  on  deck,  followed  by  all  his  people, 
destroyed  hope,  and  every  effort  ceased  as  suddenly 
as  it  had  commenced. 

"  Think  of  your  wounded ;"  whispered  the  free- 
trader, wTith  a  steadiness  no  danger  could  disturb. 
"  We  stand  on  a  raging  volcano !" 

"  I  have  ordered  the  gunner  to  drown  the  magazine." 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  149 

"  He  was  too  late.  The  hold  of  the  ship  is  a  fiery 
furnace.  I  heard  him  fall  among  the  stoi-e-rooms, 
audit  surpassed  the  power  of  man  to  give  the  wretch 
succor.  The  grenade  has  fallen  near  some  combusti- 
bles, and,  painful  as  it  is  to  part  with  a  ship  so  loved, 
Ludlow,  thou  wilt  meet  the  loss  like  a  man.  Think 
of  thy  wounded ;  my  boats  are  still  hanging  at  the 
stern." 

Ludlow  reluctantly,  but  firmly,  gave  the  order  to 
bear  the  wounded  to  the  boats.  This  was  an  ardu- 
ous and  delicate  duty.  The  smallest  boy  in  the  ship 
knew  the  whole  extent  of  the  danger,  and  that  a 
moment,  by  the  explosion  of  the  powder,  might  pre- 
cipitate them  all  into  eternity.  The  deck  forward 
was  getting  too  hot  to  be  endured,  and  there  were 
places  even  in  which  the  beams  had  given  symptoms 
of  yielding. 

But  the  poop,  elevated  still  above  the  fire,  offered  a 
momentary  refuge.  Thither  all  retired,  while  the 
\v<ak  and  wounded  were  lowered,  with  the  caution 
circumstances  would  permit,  into  the  Avhale-boats  of 
tin'  smugglers. 

Ludlow  stood  at  one  ladder  and  the  free-trader  at 
the  other,  in  order  to  be  certain  that  none  proved 
recreant  in  so  trying  a  moment.  Near  them  were 
Alida,  Seadrift,  and  the  alderman,  with  the  attend- 
ants of tin-  former. 

It  seemed  an  age,  before  this  humane  and  tender 
duty  was  performed.  At  length  the  cry  of  "All  in  1" 
was  uttered,  in  a  manner  to  betray  the  extent  of  the 
self-command  that  had  been  necessary  to  effect  it. 


150  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

"  Xow,  Alida,  we  may  think  of  thee !"  said  Lud- 
low, turning-  to  the  spot  occupied  by  the  silent 
heiress. 

"  And  you  !"  she  said,  hesitating  to  move. 

"  Duty  demands  that  I  should  be  the  last " 

A  sharp  explosion  beneath,  and  fragments  of  fire 
flying  upward  through  a  hatch,  interrupted  his  words. 
Plunges  into  the  sea,  and  a  rush  of  the  people  to  the 
boats,  followed.  All  order  and  authority  were  com- 
pletely lost,  in  the  instinct  of  life.  In  vain  did  Lud- 
low call  on  his  men  to  be  cool,  and  to  wait  for  those 
who  were  still  above.  His  words  were  lost,  in  the 
uproar  of  clamorous  voices.  For  a  moment,  it  seemed 
however,  as  if  the  Skimmer  of  the  Seas  would  over- 
come the  confusion.  Throwing  himself  on  a  ladder, 
he  glided  into  the  bows  of  one  of  the  boats,  and  hold- 
ing by  the  ropes  with  a  vigorous  arm,  he  resisted  the 
efforts  of  all  the  oars  and  boat-hooks,  while  he  denounc- 
ed destruction  on  him  who  dared  to  quit  the  ship. 
Had  not  the  two  crews  been  mingled,  the  high  autho- 
rity and  determined  mien  of  the  free-trader  would 
have  prevailed  ;  but  while  some  were  disposed  to  obey, 
others  raised  the  cry  of  "Throw  the  dealer  in  witch- 
craft  into  the  sea  !" — Boat-hooks  were  already  pointed 
at  his  breast,  and  the  horrors  of  the  fearful  moment 
were  about  to  be  increased  by  the  violence  of  a  mu- 
tinous contention,  when  a  second  explosion  nerved 
the  arms  of  the  rowers  to  madness.  With  a  common 
and  desperate  effort,  they  overcame  all  resistance. 
Swinging  off  upon  the  ladder,  the  furious  seaman  saw 
the  boat  glide  from  his  grasp,  and  depart.     The  exe- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  151 

cration  that  was  uttered,  beneath  the  stern  of  the 
Coquette,  was  deep  and  powerful ;  but,  in  another 
moment,  the  Skimmer  stood  on  the  poop,  calm  and 
undejected,  in  the  centre  of  the  deserted  group. 

"  The  explosion  of  a  few  of  the  officers'  pistols  has 
frightened  the  miscreants  ;"  he  said,  cheerfully.  "  But 
hope  is  not  yet  lost ! — they  linger  in  the  distance,  and 
may  return !" 

The  sight  of  the  helpless  party  on  the  poop,  and 
the  consciousness  of  being  less  exposed  themselves,  had 
indeed  arrested  the  progress  of  the  fugitives.  Still, 
selfishness  predominated;  and  while  most  regretted 
their  danger,  none  but  the  young  and  unheeded  mid- 
shipmen, who  were  neither  of  an  age  nor  of  a  rank  to 
wield  sufficient  authority,  proposed  to  return.  There 
was  little  argument  necessary  to  show  that  the  perils 
increased  at  each  moment ;  and,  finding  that  no  other 
expedient  remained,  the  gallant  youths  encouraged  the 
men  to  pull  toward  the  land  ;  intending  themselves 
to  return  instantly  to  the  assistance  of  their  command- 
er and  liis  friends.  The  oars  dashed  into  the  water 
again,  and  the  retiring  boats  were  soon  lost  to  view 
in  the  body  of  darkness. 

While  the  fire  had  been  raging  within,  another 
element,  without,  had  aided  to  lessen  hope  for  those 
who  were  abandoned.  The  wind  from  the  land  had 
continued  to  rise,  and,  during  the  time  lost  in  useless 
exertion,  the  ship  had  been  permitted  to  run  nearly 
before  it.  When  hope  was  gone,  the  helm  had  been 
deserted,  and  as  all  the  lower  sails  had  been  hauled 
up  to  avoid  the  flames,  the  vessel  had  drifted,  many 


152  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

minutes,  nearly  dead  to  leeward.  The  mistaken  youths, 
who  had  not  attended  to  these  circumstances,  were 
already  miles  from  that  beach  they  hoped  to  reach  so 
soon  ;  and  ere  the  boats  had  separated  from  the  ship 
five  minutes,  they  were  hopelessly  asunder.  Ludlow 
had  early  thought  of  the  expedient  of  stranding  the 
vessel,  as  the  means  of  saving  her  people;  but  his 
better  knowledge  of  their  position,  soon  showed  him 
the  utter  futility  of  the  attempt. 

Of  the  progress  of  the  flames  beneath,  the  mariners 
could  only  judge  by  circumstances.  The  Skimmer 
glanced  his  eye  about  him,  on  regaining  the  poop,  and 
appeared  to  scan  the  amount  and  quality  of  the  physic- 
cal  force  that  was  still  at  their  disposal.  He  saw  that 
the  Alderman,  the  faithful  Francois,  and  two  of  his 
own  seamen,  with  four  of  the  petty  officers  of  the 
ship,  remained. 

"The  flames  are  in  the  state-rooms!"  he  whis- 
pered to  Ludlow. 

"  Not  further  aft,  I  think,  than  the  berths  of  the 
midshipmen — else  we  should  hear  more  pistols." 

"  True — they  are  fearful  signals  to  let  us  know  the 
progress  of  the  fire  ! — our  resource  is  a  raft." 

Ludlow  looked  as  if  he  despaired  of  the  means ; 
but,  concealing  the  discouraging  fear,  he  answered 
cheerfully  in  the  affirmative.  The  orders  were  in- 
stantly given,  and  all  on  board  gave  themselves  to 
the  task,  heart  and  hand.  The  danger  was  one  that 
admitted  of  no  ordinary  or  half-conceived  expedi- 
ents ;  but,  in  such  an  emergency,  it  required  all  the 
readiness  of  their  art,  and  even  the  greatness  of  that 


STOKIES   OF   THE   SEA.  153 

conception  which  is  the  property  of  genius.  All  dis- 
tinctions of  rank  and  authority  had  ceased,  except  as 
deference  was  paid  to  natural  qualities  and  the  intelli- 
gence of  experience.  Under  such  circumstances,  the 
"  Skimmer  of  the  Seas"  took  the  lead ;  and  though 
Ludlow  caught  his  ideas  with  professional  quickness, 
it  was  the  mind  of  the  free-trader  that  controlled, 
throughout,  the  succeeding  exertions  of  that  fearful 
night. 

The  cheek  of  Alida  was  blanched  to  a  deadly  pale- 
ness ;  but  there  rested  about  the  bright  and  wild  eyes 
of  Seadrift,  an  expression  of  supernatural  resolution. 

"When  the  crew  abandoned  the  hope  of  extinguish- 
ing the  flames,  they  had  closed  all  the  hatches,  to 
retard  the  crisis  as  much  as  possible.  Here  and 
there,  however,  little  torch-like  lights  were  beginning 
to  show  themselves  through  the  planks,  and  the  whole 
deck,  forward  of  the  main-mast,  was  already  in  a 
critical  and  sinking  state.  One  or  two  of  the  beams 
had  failed,  but,  as  yet,  the  form  of  the  construction 
was  preserved.  Still  the  seamen  distrusted  the 
treacherous  footing,  and,  had  the  heat  permitted  the 
experiment,  they  would  have  shrunk  from  a  risk 
which  at  any  unexpected  moment  might  commit 
them  to  the  fiery  furnace  beneath. 

The  smoke  ceased,  and  a  clear,  powerful  light 
illuminated  the  ship  to  her  trucks.  In  consequence 
of  the  care  and  exertions  of  her  people,  the  sails  and 
masts  were  yet  untouched  ;  and  as  the  graceful  can- 
vas swelled  with  the  breeze,  it  still  urged  the  blazing 
hull  through  the  water. 


154  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

The  forms  of  the  Skimmer  and  his  assistants  were 
visible,  in  the  midst  of  the  gallant  gear,  perched  on 
the  giddy  yards.  Seen  by  that  light,  with  his  pecu- 
liar attire,  his  firm  and  certain  step,  and  his  resolute 
air,  the  free-trader  resembled  some  fancied  sea-god, 
who,  secure  in  his  immortal  immunities,  had  come  to 
act  his  part  in  that  awful  but  exciting  trial  of  hardi- 
hood and  skill.  Seconded  by  the  common  men,  he 
was  employed  in  cutting  the  canvas  from  the  yards. 
Sail  after  sail  fell  upon  the  deck,  and,  in  an  incredi- 
bly short  space  of  time,  the  whole  of  the  fore-mast 
was  naked  to  its  spars  and  rigging. 

In  the  mean  time,  Ludlow,  assisted  by  the  Alder- 
man and  Francois,  had  not  been  idle  below.  Passing 
forward  between  the  empty  ridge-ropes,  lanyard  after 
lanyard  parted  under  the  blows  of  their  little  board- 
ing-axes. The  mast  now  depended  on  the  strength 
of  the  wood  and  the  support  of  a  single  backstay. 

"  Lay  down  !"  shouted  Ludlow.  "  All  is  gone  aft, 
but  this  stay !" 

The  Skimmer  leaped  upon  the  firm  rope,  followed 
by  all  aloft,  and,  gliding  downward,  he  was  instantly 
in  the  hammock-cloths.  A  crash  followed  their  de- 
scent, and  an  explosion,  which  caused  the  whole  of 
the  burning  ftibric  to  tremble  to  its  centre,  seemed  to 
announce  the  end  of  all.'  Even  the  free-trader  re- 
coiled before  the  horrible  din  ;  but  when  he  stood 
near  Seadrift  and  the  heiress  again,  there  was  cheer- 
fulness in  his  tones,  and  a  look  of  high,  and  even  of 
gay  resolution,  in  his  firm  countenance. 

"  The  deck  has  failed  forward,"  he  said,  "  and  our 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  155 

artillery  is  beginning  to  utter  fearful  signal-guns !  Be 
of  cheer  ! — the  magazine  of  a  ship  lies  deep,  unci 
many  sheathed  bulk-heads  still  protect  us." 

Another  discharge  from  a  heated  gun,  however, 
proclaimed  the  rapid  progress  of  the  flames.  The 
fire  broke  out  of  the  interior  anew,  and  the  fore-mast 
kindled. 

"There  must  be  an  end  of  this!"  said  Alida, 
clasping  her  hands  in  a  terror  that  could  not  be  con- 
trolled. "  Save  yourselves,  if  possible,  you  who  have 
strength  and  courage,  and  leave  us  to  the  mercy  of 
iliiii  whose  eye  is  over  all!" 

"  Go  ;"  added  Seadrift,  whose  sex  could  no  longer 
be  concealed.  "  Human  courage  can  do  no  more : 
leave  us  to  die  !" 

The  looks  that  were  returned  to  these  sad  re- 
quests, were  melancholy  but  unmoved.  The  Skim- 
mer caught  a  rope,  and  still  holding  it  in  his  hand, 
he  descended  to  the  quarter-deck,  on  which  he  at 
first  trusted  his  weight  with  jealous  caution.  Then 
looking  up,  he  smiled  encouragingly,  and  said: 
"  Where  a  gun  still  stands,  there  is  no  danger  for  the 
weight  of  a  man  !" 

"  It  is  our  only  resource  ;"  cried  Ludlow,  imitating 
his  example.  "  On,  my  men,  while  the  beams  will 
still  hold  us." 

In  :i  moment,  all  were  on  the  quarter-deck,  though 
the  excessive  heat  rendered  it  impossible  to  remain 
stationary  an  instant.  A  gun  on  each  side  was  run  in, 
it-  tackles  loosened,  and  its  muzzle  pointed  toward 
the  tottering,  unsupported,  but  still  upright  foremast. 


156  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  Aim  at  the  cleets !"  said  Ludlow  to  the  Skimmer, 
who  pointed  one  gun,  while  he  did  the  same  office  at 
the  other. 

"Hold!"  cried  the  latter.  "Throw  in  shot— it  is 
but  the  chance  between  a  bursting  gun  and  a  lighted 
magazine!" 

Additional  balls  were  introduced  into  each  piece, 
and  then,  with  steady  hands,  the  gallant  mariners 
applied  burning  brands  to  the  priming.  The  dis- 
charges were  simultaneous  and,  for  an  instant,  vol- 
umes of  smoke  rolled  along  the  deck  and  seemed  to 
triumph  over  the  conflagration.  The  rending  of 
wood  was  audible.  It  was  followed  by  a  sweeping 
noise  in  the  air,  and  the  fall  of  the  fore-mast,  with 
all  its  burden  of  spars,  into  the  sea.  The  motion  of 
the  ship  was  instantly  arrested,  and,  as  the  heavy 
timbers  were  still  attached  to  the  bowsprit  by  the 
forward  stays,  her  head  came  to  the  wind,  when 
the  remaining  topsails  flapped,  shivered,  and  took 
aback. 

The  vessel  was  now,  for  the  first  time  during  the 
fire,  stationary.  The  common  mariners  profited  by 
the  circumstance,  and,  darting  past  the  mounting 
flame  along  the  bulwarks,  they  gained  the  top- 
gallant-forecastle, which  though  heated  was  yet  un- 
touched. The  Skimmer  glanced  an  eye  about  him, 
and  seizing  Seadrift  by  the  waist,  as  if  the  mimic 
seaman  had  been  a  child,  he  pushed  forward  between 
the  ridge-ropes.  Ludlow  followed  with  Alida,  and 
the  others  imitated  their  example  in  the  best  man- 
ner they  could.     All  reached  the  head  of  the  ship  in 


STORIES   OF   THE    SEA.  157 

safety ;  though  Ludlow  had  been  driven  by  the 
flames  into  the  fore-channels,  and  thence  nearly  into 
the  sea. 

The  petty  officers  were  already  on  the  floating 
spars,  separating  them  from  each  other,  cutting  away 
the  unnecessary  weight  of  rigging,  bringing  the 
several  parts  of  the  wood  in  parallel  lines,  and  lash- 
ing them  anew.  Ever  and  anon,  these  rapid  move- 
ments were  quickened  by  one  of  those  fearful  signals 
from  the  officers'  berths,  which,  by  announcing  the 
progress  of  the  flames  beneath,  betrayed  their  in- 
creasing proximity  to  the  still-slumbering  volcano. 
The  boats  had  been  gone  an  hour,  and  yet  it  seemed, 
to  all  in  the  ship,  but  a  minute.  The  conflagration 
had,  for  the  last  ten  minutes,  advanced  with  renewed 
fury  ;  and  the  whole  of  the  confined  flame,  which 
had  been  so  long  pent  in  the  depths  of  the  vessel 
now  glared  high  in  the  open  air. 

"  This  heat  can  no  longer  be  borne,"  said  Ludlow ; 
"  we  must  to  our  raft,  for  breath." 

"To  the  raft,  then!"  returned  the  cheerful  voice  of 
the  free-trader.  "Haul  in  upon  your  fasts,  men,  and 
stand  by  to  receive  the  precious  freight." 

The  seamen  obeyed.  Alida  and  her  companions 
were  lowered  safely  to  the  place  prepared  for  their 
reception.  The  fore-mast  had  gone  over  the  side, 
with  all  its  spars  aloft;  for  preparation  had  been 
made,  before  the  fire  commenced,  to  carry  sail  to  the 
utmost,  in  order  to  escape  the  enemy.  The  skilful 
and  active  stamen,  directed  and  aided  by  Ludlow 
and  the  Skimmer,  had  made  a  simple  but  happy  dis- 


158  STOKIES    OF   TIIE    SEA. 

position  of  those  buoyant  materials  on  which  their  all 
now  depended.  In  settling  in  the  water,  the  yards, 
still  crossed,  had  happily  fallen  uppermost.  The 
booms  and  all  the  light  spars  had  been  floated  near 
the  top,  and  laid  across,  reaching  from  the  lower  to 
the  top-sail  yard.  A  few  light  spars,  stowed  outboard, 
had  been  cut  away  and  added  to  the  number,  and 
the  whole  were  secured  with  the  readiness  and  inge- 
nuity of  seamen.  On  the  first  alarm  of  fire,  some  of 
the  crew  had  seized  a  few  light  articles  that  would 
float,  and  rushed  to  the  head,  as  the  place  most  re- 
mote from  the  magazine,  in  the  blind  hope  of  saving 
life  by  swimming.  Most  of  these  articles  had  been 
deserted,  when  the  people  were  rallied  to  exertion  by 
their  officers.  A  couple  of  empty  shot-boxes  and  a 
mess-chest  were  among  them,  and  on  the  latter  were 
seated  the  females,  while  the  former  served  to  keep 
their  feet  from  the  water.  As  the  arrangement  of 
the  spars  forced  the  principal  mast  entirely  beneath 
the  element,  and  the  ship  was  so  small  as  to  need 
little  artificial  work  in  her  masting,  the  part  around 
the  top,  which  contained  the  staging,  was  scarcely 
submerged.  Although  a  ton  in  weight  was  added  to 
the  inherent  gravity  of  the  wood,  still,  as  the  latter 
was  of  the  lightest  description,  and  freed  as  much  as 
possible  of  every  thing  that  was  unnecessary  to  the 
safety  of  those  it  supported,  the  spars  floated  suffi- 
ciently buoyant  for  the  temporary  security  of  the 
fugitives. 

"  Cut  the  fast !"  said  Ludlow,  involuntarily  starting 
at  several  explosions  in  the  interior,  which  followed 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  159 

each  other  in  quick  succession,  and  which  were  suc- 
ceeded by  one  which  sent  fragments  of  burning  wood 
into  the  air.  "Cut,  and  bare  the  raft  off  the  ship 
— God  knows,  we  have  need  to  be  further  asun- 
der !" 

"  Cut  not !"  cried  the  half  frantic  Seadrift— "  My 
brave  ! — my  devoted  !  — " 

"  Is  safe !"  calmly  said  the  Skimmer,  appearing  in 
the  rattlines  of  the  main-rigging,  which  was  still  un- 
touched by  the  fire — "  Cut  off  all !  I  stay  to  brace 
the  mizzen  top-sail  more  firmly  aback !" 

The  duty  was  done,  and  for  a  moment  the  fine  fitr- 
ure  of  the  free-trader  was  seen  standing  on  the  cdire 
of  the  burning  ship,  looking  with  regret  at  the  glow- 
ing mass. 

"  Tis  the  end  of  a  lovely  craft !"  he  said,  loud 
enough  to  be  heard  by  those  beneath.  Then  he  ap- 
peared in  the  air,  and  sunk  into  the  sea — "The  last 
signal  was  from  the  ward-room,"  added  the  dauntless 
and  dexterous  mariner,  as  he  rose  from  the  water, 
and,  shaking  the  brine  from  his  head,  he  took  his 
place  on  the  stage — "  Would  to  God  the  wind  would 
blow,  for  we  have  need  of  greater  distance!" 

The  precaution  the  free-trader  had  taken  in  adjust- 
ing the  sails,  was  not  without  its  use.  Motion,  the 
raft  had  none,  but  as  the  topsails  of  the  Coquette 
were  still  aback,  the  (laming  mass,  no  longer  arrested 
by  the  clogs  in  the  water,  began  slowly  to  separate 
from  the  floating  spars,  though  the  tottering  and  half 
burnt  masts,  threatened  at  each  moment  to  fall. 

Never  did  moments  seem  so  long,  as  those  which 


160  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

succeeded.  Even  the  Skimmer  and  Ludlow  watched 
in  speechless  interest,  the  tardy  movements  of  the 
ship.  By  little  and  little,  she  receded ;  and,  after  ten 
minutes  of  intense  expectation,  the  seamen,  whose 
anxiety  had  increased  as  their  exertions  ended,  be- 
gan to  breathe  more  freely.  They  were  still  fear- 
fully near  the  dangerous  fabric,  but  destruction  from 
the  explosion  was  no  longer  inevitable.  The  flames 
began  to  glide  upward,  and  then  the  heavens  ap- 
peared on  fire,  as  one  heated  sail  after  another  kin- 
dled and  flared  wildly  in  the  breeze. 

Still  the  stern  of  the  vessel  was  entire.  The  body 
of  the  master  was  seated  against  the  mizzen-mast, 
and  even  the  stern  visage  of  the  old  seaman  was 
distinctly  visible,  under  the  broad  light  of  the  con- 
flagration. Ludlow  gazed  at  it  in  melancholy,  and 
for  a  time  he  ceased  to  think  of  his  ship,  while 
memory  dwelt,  in  sadness,  on  those  scenes  of  boyish 
happiness,  and  of  professional  pleasure,  in  which  his 
ancient  shipmates  had  so  largely  participated.  The 
roar  of  a  gun,  whose  stream  of  fire  flashed  nearly  to 
their  faces,  and  the  sullen  whistling  of  its  shot,  which 
crossed  the  raft,  failed  to  awaken  him  from  his 
trance. 

"  Stand  firm  to  the  mess-chest !"  half  whispered 
the  Skimmer,  motioning  to  his  companions  to  place 
themselves  in  attitudes  to  support  the  weaker  of  their 
party,  while  with  sedulous  care,  he  braced  his  own 
athletic  person  in  a  manner  to  throw  all  of  its  weight 
and  strength  against  the  seat.  "  Stand  firm,  and  be 
ready !" 


STORIES   OF   THE   SEA.  161 

Ludlow  complied,  though  his  eye  scarce  changed 
its  direction.  He  saw  the  bright  flame  that  was 
rising  above  the  arm  chest,  and  he  fancied  that  it 
came  from  the  funeral  pile  of  the  young  Diunont, 
whose  fate,  at  that  moment,  he  was  almost  disposed 
to  envy.  Then  his  look  turned  to  the  grim  coun- 
tenance of  Trysail.  At  moments,  it  seemed  as  if  the 
dead  master  spoke  ;  and  so  strong  did  the  illusion 
become,  that  our  young  sailor  more  than  once  bent 
furward  to  listen.  While  under  this  delusion,  the 
body  rose,  with  the  arms  stretched  upward.  The 
air  was  filled  with  a  sheet  of  streaming  fire,  while 
the  ocean  and  the  heavens  glowed  with  one  glare 
of  intense  and  fiery  red.  Notwithstanding  the  pre- 
caution of  the  "Skimmer  of  the  Seas,"  the  chest  was 
driven  from  its  place,  and  those  by  whom  it  was 
held  were  nearly  precipitated  into  the  water.  A 
deep,  heavy  detonation  proceeded  as  it  were,  from 
the  bosom  of  the  sea,  which,  while  it  wounded  the 
ear  less  than  the  sharp  explosion  that  had  just  be- 
fore issued  from  the  gun,  was  audible  at  the  distant 
capes  of  the  Delaware.  The  body  of  Trysail  sailed 
upward  for  fifty  fathoms,  in  the  centre  of  a  flood  of 
flame,  and,  describing  a  short  curve,  it  came  toward 
the  raft,  and  cut  the  water  within  reach  of  the  cap- 
tain's arm.  A  sullen  plunge  of  a  gnu  followed,  and 
proclaimed  the  tremendous  power  of  the  explosion  ; 
while  a  ponderous  yard  fell  awthart  a  part  of  the 
raft,  sweeping  away  the  four  petty  officers  of  Ludlow, 
as  if  they  had  been  dust  driving  before  a  gale.  To 
increase  the  wild  and  fearful  grandeur  of  the  dissolu- 
11 


162  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

tion  of  the  royal  cruiser,  one  of  the  cannon  emitted 
its  fiery  contents  while  sailing  in  the  void. 

The  burning  spars,  the  falling  fragments,  the  blaz- 
ing and  scattered  canvas  and  cordage,  the  glowing 
shot,  and  all  the  torn  particles  of  the  ship,  were  seen 
descending.  Then  followed  the  gurgling  of  water,  as 
the  ocean  swallowed  all  that  remained  of  the  cruiser 
which  bad  so  long  been  the  pride  of  the  American 
seas.  The  fiery  glow  disappeared,  and  a  gloom  like 
that  which  succeeds  the  glare  of  vivid  lightning,  fell 
on  the  scene. 

THE   RESCUE. 

"  It  is  past !"  said  the  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas," 
raising  himself  from  the  attitude  of  great  muscular 
exertion,  which  he  had  assumed  in  order  to  support 
the  mess-chest,  and  walking  out  along  the  single  mast, 
toward  the  spot  whence  the  four  seamen  of  Ludlow 
had  just  been  swept.  "It  is  past !  and  those  who  are 
called  to  the  last  account,  have  met  their  fate  in  such 
a  scene  as  none  but  a  seaman  may  witness  ;  while  those 
who  are  spared,  have  need  of  all  a  seaman's  skill  and 
resolution  for  that  which  remains  !  Captain  Ludlow, 
I  do  not  despair  ;  for,  see  the  lady  of  the  brigantine 
has  still  a  smile  for  her  servitors !" 

"Ludlow,  who  had  followed  the  steady  and  daring 
free-trader  to  the  place  where  the  spar  had  fallen, 
turned  and  cast  a  look  in  the  direction  that  the  other 
stretched  his  arm.  Within  a  hundred  feet  of  him,  he 
saw  the  image  of  the  sea-green  lady,  rocking  in  the 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  163 

agitated  water,  and  turned  toward  the  raft,  with  its 
usual  expression  of  wild  and  malicious  intelligence. 
This  emblem  of  their  fancied  mistress  had  been  borne 
in  front  of  the  smugglers,  when  they  mounted  the 
poop  of  the  Coquette  ;  and  the  steeled  staff  on  which 
the  lantern  was  perched,  had  been  struck  into  a  horse- 
bucket  by  the  standard-bearer  of  the  moment,  ere  he 
entered  the  melee  of  the  combat.  During  the  con- 
flagration, this  object  had  more  than  once  met  the  eye 
of  Ludlow ;  and  now  it  appeared  floating  quietly  by 
him,  in  a  manner  almost  to  shake  even  his  contempt 
for  the  ordinary  superstitions  of  seamen.  While  he 
hesitated  in  what  manner  he  should  reply  to  his  com- 
panion's remark,  the  latter  plunged  into  the  sea,  and 
swam  toward  the  light.  He  was  soon  by  the  side  ot 
the  raft  again,  bearing  aloi't  the  symbol  of  his  brigan- 
tine.  There  are  none  so  firm  in  the  dominion  of  rea- 
son, as  to  be  entirely  superior  to  the  secret  impulses 
which  teach  ua  all  to  believe  in  the  hidden  agency  of 
a  i^ood  or  an  evil  fortune.  The  voice  of  the  free-trader 
was  more  cheerful,  and  his  step  more  sure  and  elastic, 
as  he  crossed  the  Stage  :ind  struck  the  armed  end  of 
the  stall' into  that  part  of  the  top-rim  of  the  Coquette, 
which  tloated  uppermost. 

"Couragel"  he  gaily  cried.  "While  this  light 
burns,  my  star  is  not  set !  Courage,  lady  of  the  land  ; 
for  here  is  one  of  the  deep  waters,  who  still  looks 
kindly  on  her  followers!  We  are  at  sea,  on  a  frail 
craft  it  is  certain,  but  a  dull  sailer  may  make  a  sure 
passage." 

Although  so  imminent  and  so  pressing  a  danger  as 


164  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

that  of  the  explosion  had  passed,  the  situation  of 
those  who  had  escaped  was  scarcely  hetter  than  that 
of  those  who  had  been  lost.  The  heavens  showed  a 
few  glimmering  stars  in  the  openings  of  the  clouds  ; 
and  now,  that  the  first  contrast  of  the  change  had 
lessened,  there  was  just  enough  light  to  render 
all  the  features  of  their  actual  state  gloomily  im- 
posing. 

It  has  been  said,  that  the  fore-mast  of  the  Coquette 
went  by  the  board,  with  most  of  its  hamper  aloft. 
The  sails,  with  such  portion  of  the  rigging  as  might 
help  to  sustain  it,  had  been  hastily  cut  away  as  related; 
and  after  its  fall,  until  the  moment  of  the  explosion, 
the  common  men  had  been  engaged,  either  in  secur- 
ing the  staging,  or  in  clearing  the  wreck  of  those 
heavy  ropes  which,  useless  as  fastenings,  only  added 
to  the  weight  of  the  mass.  The  whole  wreck  lay 
upon  the  sea,  with  the  yards  crossed  and  in  their 
places,  much  as  the  spars  had  stood.  The  large 
booms  had  been  unshipped,  and  laid  in  such  a  manner 
around  the  top,  with  the  ends  resting  on  the  lower 
and  top-sail  yards,  as  to  form  the  foundation  of  the 
staging.  The  smaller  booms,  with  the  mess-chest  and 
shot-boxes,  were  all  that  lay  between  the  group  in  the 
centre,  and  the  depths  of  the  ocean.  The  upper  part 
of  the  top-rim  rose  a  few  feet  above  the  water,  and 
formed  an  important  protection  against  the  night- 
breeze  and  the  constant  washing  of  the  waves.  In 
this  manner  were  the  females  seated,  cautioned  not  to 
trust  their  feet  on  the  frail  security  of  the  booms,  and 
supported  by  the  unremitting  care  of  the  Alderman. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  165 

Francois  had  submitted  to  be  lashed  to  the  top  by  one 
of  the  brigantine's  seamen,  while  the  latter,  all  of  the 
common  herd  who  remained,  encouraged  by  the  pres- 
ence of  their  standard-light,  began  to  occupy  them- 
selves in  looking  to  the  fastenings  and  other  securities 
of  the  raft. 

"  We  are  in  no  condition  for  a  long  or  an  active 
cruise,  Captain  Ludlow,"  said  the  Skimmer,  drawing 
Ludlow  out  of  hearing  of  their  companions.  "  I  have 
been  at  sea  in  all  weathers,  and  in  every  description 
of  craft ;  but  this  is  the  boldest  of  my  experiments  on 
the  water.     I  hope  it  may  not  be  the  last!" 

"We  cannot  conceal  from  ourselves  the  fright- 
ful hazards  we  run,"  returned  Ludlow,  however 
much  we  may  wish  them  to  be  a  secret  to  some 
among  us." 

"  This  is  truly  a  deserted  sea,  to  be  abroad  in,  on  a 
raft.  Were  we  in  the  narrow  passages  between  the 
British  islands  and  the  Main,  or  even  in  the  Biscay 
waters,  there  would  be  hope  that  some  trader  or 
roving  cruiser  might  cross  our  track ;  but  our  chance 
here  lies  much  between  the  Frenchman  and  the 
brigantine." 

"  The  enemy  has  doubtless  seen  and  heard  the  ex- 
plosion, and,  as  the  land  is  so  near,  they  will  infer 
that  the  people  are  saved  in  the  boats.  Our  chance 
of  seeing  more  of  them  is  much  diminished  by  the  ac- 
cident of  the  fire,  since  there  will  no  longer  be  a  motive 
for  remaining  on  the  coast." 

"  And  will  your  young  officers  abandon  their  captain 
without  a  search  ?" 


166  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  Hope  of  aid  from  that  quarter  is  faint.  The  ship 
ran  miles  while  in  flames,  and,  before  the  light  returns, 
these  spars  will  have  drifted  leagues,  with  the  ebbing 
tide,  to  seaward." 

"  Truly,  I  have  sailed  with  better  auguries  !"  ob- 
served the  Skimmer — "What  are  the  bearings  and 
distance  of  the  land  ?" 

"  It  still  lies  to  the  north,  but  we  are  fast  setting 
east  and  southerly.  Ere  morning  we  shall  be  abeam 
of  Montauk,  or  even  beyond  it ;  we  must  already  be 
some  leagues  in  the  offing." 

"  That  is  worse  than  I  had  imagined  ! — but  there 
is  hope  on  the  flood  ?" 

"  The  flood  will  bear  us  northward  again — but — 
Avhat  think  you  of  the  heavens  ?" 

"Unfavorable, though  not  desperate.  The  sea-breeze 
will  return  with  the  sun." 

"  And  with  it  will  return  the  swell !  How  long  will 
these  ill-secured  spars  hold  together,  when  agitated 
by  the  heave  of  the  water  ?  Or,  how  long  will  those 
with  us  bear  up  against  the  wash  of  the  sea,  unsup- 
ported by  nourishment  ?" 

"  You  paint  in  gloomy  colors,  Captain  Ludlow," 
said  the  free-trader,  drawing  a  heavy  breath,  in 
spite  of  all  his  resolution.  "  My  experience  tells  me 
you  are  right,  though  my  wishes  would  fain  contra- 
dict you-  Still,  I  think  we  have  the  promise  of  a 
tranquil  night." 

"  Tranquil  for  a  ship,  or  even  for  a  boat ;  but  haz- 
ardous to  a  raft  like  this.  You  see  that  this  top- 
mast already  works  in  the   cap,  at  each  heave  of 


STORIES    OF   THE   SEA.  167 

the  water,  and  as  the  wood  loosens,  our  security 
lessens." 

"  Thy  counsel  is  not  flattering  ! — Captain  Ludlow, 
you  are  a  seaman  and  a  man,  and  I  shall  not  attempt 
to  trifle  with  your  knowledge.  With  you,  I  think  the 
danger  imminent,  and  almost  our  only  hope  depend- 
ent on  the  good  fortune  of  my  brigantine." 

"  Will  those  in  her  think  it  their  duty  to  quit  their 
anchorage,  to  come  in  quest  of  a  raft  whose  existence 
is  unknown  to  them  ?" 

"  There  is  hope  in  the  vigilance  of  her  of  the  sea- 
green  mantle !  You  may  deem  this  fanciful,  or  even 
worse,  at  such  a  moment ;  but  I,  who  have  run  so 
many  gauntlets  under  her  favor,  have  faith  in  her 
fortunes." 

"  I  see  but  little  that  we  can  do  to  aid  our  chances, 
except  it  be  to  clear  away  all  unnecessary  weight,  and 
to  secure  the  raft  as  much  as  possible  by  additional 
lashings." 

The  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas"  assented  to  the  pro- 
posal. Consulting  a  moment  longer,  on  the  details 
of  their  expedients,  they  rejoined  the  group  near  the 
top,  in  order  to  see  them  executed.  As  the  seamen 
on  the  raft  were  reduced  to  the  two  people  of  the 
brigantine,  Ludlow  and  his  companion  were  obliged 
to  assist  in  the  performance  of  the  duty. 

There  was  an  air  of  hope,  and  a  feeling  of  increased 
security,  in  this  employment.  Even  the  Alderman 
and  Francois  aided  in  the  task,  to  the  extent  of  their 
knowledge  and  force.  But  when  these  alterations  were 
made  and  additional  lashings  had  been  applied  to  keep 


168  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

the  topmast  and  the  larger  yards  in  their  places,  Lud- 
low, by  joining  those  who  were  around  the  mast-head, 
tacitly  admitted  that  little  more  could  be  done  to 
avert  the  chances  of  the  elements. 

During  the  few  hours  occupied  in  this  important 
duty,  Alida  and  her  companion  addressed  themselves 
to  God,  in  long  and  fervent  petitions.  With  woman's 
faith  in  that  divine  being  who  alone  could  avail  them, 
and  with  woman's  high  mental  fortitude  in  moments 
of  protracted  trial,  they  had  both  known  how  to  con- 
trol the  exhibition  of  their  terrors,  and  had  sought 
their  support  in  the  same  appeal  to  a  power  superior 
to  all  of  earth.  Ludlow  was  therefore  more  than  re- 
warded by  the  sound  of  Alida's  voice,  speaking  to 
him  cheerfully,  as  she  thanked  him  for  what  he  had 
done,  when  he  admitted  that  he  could  now  do  no 
more. 

"  The  rest  is  with  Providence  !"  added  Alida.  "  All 
that  bold  and  skilful  seamen  can  do,  have  ye  done ; 
and  all  that  woman  in  such  a  situation  can  do,  have 
we  done  in  your  behalf!" 

"  Thou  hast  thought  of  me  in  thy  prayers,  Alida  ! 
It  is  an  intercession  that  the  stoutest  needs,  and  which 
none  but  the  fool  derides." 

"And  thou,  Eudora!  thou  hast  remembered  him  who 
quiets  the  waters !"  said  a  deep  voice,  near  the  bend- 
ing form  of  the  counterfeit  Seadrift. 

"  I  have." 

"  'Tis  well.  There  are  points  to  which  manhood 
and  experience  may  pass,  and  there  are  those  where 
all  is  left  to  one  mightier  than  the  elements !" 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  169 

Words  like  these,  coming  from  the  lips  of  one  of 
the  known  character  of  the  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas," 
were  not  given  to  the  winds.  Even  Ludlow  cast  an 
uneasy  look  at  the  heavens,  when  they  came  upon  his 
ear,  as  if  they  conveyed  a  secret  notice  of  the  whole 
extremity  of  the  danger  by  which  they  were  environed. 
None  answered  ;  and  a  long  silence  succeeded,  during 
which  some  of  the  more  fatigued  slumbered  uneasily, 
spite  of  their  fearful  situation. 

In  this  manner  did  the  night  pass,  in  weariness  and 
anxiety.  Little  was  said,  and  for  hours  scarce  a  limb 
was  moved,  in  the  group  that  clustered  around  the 
mess-chest.  As  the  signs  of  day  appeared,  however, 
every  faculty  was  keenly  awake,  to  catch  the  first 
signs  of  what  they  had  to  hope,  or  the  first  certainty 
of  what  they  had  to  fear. 

The  surface  of  the  ocean  was  still  smooth,  though 
the  long  swells  in  which  (he  element  was  heaving  and 
setting,  sufficiently  indicated  that  the  raft  had  floated 
far  from  the  land.  This  fact  was  rendered  sure,  when 
the  light,  which  soon  appeared  along  the  eastern  mar- 
gin of  the  narrow  view,  was  shed  gradually  over  the 
whole  horizon.  Nothing  was  at  first  visible,  but  one 
gloomy  and  vacant  waste  of  water.  But  a  cry  of  joy 
from  Seadrift,  whose  senses  had  long  been  practised  in 
ocean  sights, soon  drew  all  eyes  in  the  direction  oppo- 
site to  that  of  tin;  rising  sun,  and  it  was  not  long  he- 
fore  all  on  the  low  raft  had  a  view  of  the  snowy  sur- 
faces of  a  s|ii]>"s  sails,  as  the  glow  of  morning  touched 
the  canvas. 

"  It  is  the  Frenchman  !"  said  the  free-trader.     "  lie 


170  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

is  charitably  looking  for  the  wreck  of  his  late  ene- 
my !" 

"  It  may  he  so,  for  our  fate  can  he  no  secret  to  him ;" 
was  the  answer  of  Ludlow.  "  Unhappily,  we  had  run 
some  distance  from  the  anchorage,  before  the  flames 
broke  out.  Truly,  those  with  whom  we  so  lately 
struggled  for  life,  are  bent  on  a  duty  of  humanity." 

"  Ah,  yonder  is  his  crippled  consort ! — to  leeward 
many  a  league.  The  gay  bird  has  been  too  sadly 
stripped  of  its  plumage,  to  fly  so  near  the  wind  ! 
This  is  man's  fortune !  He  uses  his  power,  at  one 
moment  to  destroy,  the  very  means  that  become  ne- 
cessary to  his  safety,  the  next." 

"  And  what  think  you  of  our  hopes  ?"  asked  Alida, 
searching  in  the  countenance  of  Ludlow  a  clue  to 
their  fate.  "Does  the  stranger  move  in  a  direction 
favorable  to  our  wishes  ?" 

Neither  Ludlow  nor  the  Skimmer  replied.  Both 
regarded  the  frigate  intently,  and  then,  as  objects 
licc.une  more  distinct,  both  answered,  by  a  common 
impulse,  that  the  ship  was  steering  directly  toward 
them.  The  declaration  excited  general  hope,  and 
even  the  negress  was  no  longer  restrained  by  her 
situation  from  expressing  her  joy  in  vociferous  ex- 
clamations of  delight. 

A  few  minutes  of  active  and  ready  exertion  suc- 
ceeded. A  light  boom  Avas  unlashed  from  the  raft, 
and  raised  on  its  end,  supporting  a  little  signal,  made 
of  the  handkerchiefs  of  the  party,  which  fluttered  in 
the  light  breeze,  at  the  elevation  of  some  twenty 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  wrater.    After  this  pre- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  171 

caution  was  observed,  they  were  obliged  to  await  the 
result  in  such  patience  as  they  could  assume.  Min- 
ute passed  after  minute,  and,  at  each  moment,  the 
form  and  proportions  of  the  ship  became  more  dis- 
tinct, until  all  the  mariners  of  the  party  declared 
they  could  distinguish  men  on  her  yards.  A  cannon 
would  have  readily  sent  its  shot  from  the  ship  to  the 
raft,  and  yet  no  sign  betrayed  the  consciousness  of 
those  in  the  former  of  the  proximity  of  the  latter. 

"I  do  not  like  his  manner  of  steering!"  observed 
the  Skimmer  to  the  silent  and  attentive  Ludlow.  "  He 
yaws  broadly,  as  if  disposed  to  give  up  the  search. 
God  grant  him  the  heart  to  continue  on  his  course 
ten  minutes  longer!" 

"Have  we  no  means  of  making  ourselves  heard?" 
demanded  the  Alderman.  "Methinks  the  voice  of  a 
strong  man  might  he  sent  thus  far  across  the  water 
when  life  is  the  stake." 

The  more  experienced  shook  their  heads  ;  but,  not 
discouraged,  the  burgher  raised  his  voice  with  a 
power  that  was  sustained  by  the  imminency  of  the 
peril.  He  was  joined  by  the  seamen,  and  even 
Ludlow  lent  his  aid,  until  all  wvrv  hoarse  with  the 
fruitless  efforts.  M.ii  were  evidently  aloft,  and  in 
some  numbers,  searching  the  ocean  with  their  eyes, 
hut  still  no  answering  signal  came  from  the  vessel. 

The  ship  continued  to  approach,  and  (he  raft  was 
less  than  half  a  mile  from  her  bows,  when  the  vasl 
fabric  suddenly  receded  from  the  breeze,  showed  the 
whole  of  its  glittering  broadside,  and,  swinging  its 
yards,  betrayed   by  its  new  position   that,  the  search 


172  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

in  that  direction  was  abandoned.  The  instant  Lud- 
low saw  the  filling-off  of  the  frigate's  bows,  he  cried — 

"  Xoiv  raise  your  voices  together ;  this  is  the  final 
chance !" 

They  united  in  a  common  shout,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas."  The  latter  lean- 
ed against  the  top  with  folded  arms,  listening  to  their 
impotent  efforts  with  a  melancholy  smile. 

"  It  is  well  attempted,"  said  the  calm  and  extra- 
ordinary seaman  when  the  clamor  had  ceased,  ad- 
vancing along  the  raft  and  motioning  for  all  to  be 
silent ;  "  but  it  has  failed.  The  swinging  of  the 
yards,  and  the  orders  given  in  wearing  ship,  would 
prevent  a  stronger  sound  from  being  audible  to  men 
so  actively  employed.  I  flatter  none  with  hope,  but 
this  is  truly  the  moment  for  a  final  effort." 

He  placed  his  hands  to  his  mouth,  and,  disregarding 
words,  he  raised  a  cry  so  clear,  so  powerful,  and  yet 
so  full,  that  it  seemed  impossible  those  in  the  vessel 
should  not  hear.  Thrice  did  he  repeat  the  experi- 
ment, though  it  was  evident  that  each  successive  ex- 
ertion was  feebler  than  the  last. 

"  They  hear !"  cried  Alida.  "  There  is  a  move- 
ment in  the  sails !" 

"  'Tis  the  breeze  freshening ;"  answered  Ludlow, 
in  sadness,  at  her  side.  "  Each  moment  takes  them 
away !" 

The  melancholy  truth  was  too  apparent  for  denial, 
and  for  half  an  hour  the  retiring  ship  was  watched 
in  the  bitterness  of  disappointment.  At  the  end  of 
that  time,  she  fired  a  gun,  spread  additional  canvas 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  173 

on  her  wide  booms,  and  stood  away  before  the  wind, 
to  join  her  consort,  whose  upper  sails  were  already 
dipping  to  the  surface  of  the  sea,  in  the  southern 
board.  With  this  change  in  her  movements,  van- 
ished all  expectation  of  succor  from  the  cruiser  of 
the  enemy. 

Until  the  stern  of  the  French  frigate  was  seen  re- 
tiring  from  the  raft,  those  who  were  on  it  had  not 
been  fully  sensible  of  the  extreme  danger  of  their 
situation.  Hope  had  been  strongly  excited  by  the 
return  of  dawn;  for  while  the  shadows  of  night  lay 
on  the  ocean,  their  situation  resembled  that  of  one 
who  strove  to  pierce  the  obscurity  of  the  future,  in 
order  to  obtain  a  presage  of  better  fortunes.  With 
the  light  had  come  the  distant  sail.  As  the  day 
advanced  the  ship  had  approached,  relinquished  her 
search,  and  disappeared,  without  a  prospect  of  her 
return. 

The  stoutest  heart  among  the  group  on  the  raft 
began  to  sink  :ii  the  gloomy  fate  which  now  seemed 
inevitable. 

"Here  is  an  evil  omen!"  whispered  Ludlow,  di- 
recting his  companion's  eye  to  the  dark  and  pointed 
fins  of  three  <>r  four  sharks,  thai  were  gliding  above 
the  surface  of  the  water,  and  in  so  fearful  a  prox- 
imity to  their  persons,  as  to  render  their  situation  on 
the  low  --pars,  over  which  the  water  was  washing 
and  retiring  at  each  rise  and  fall  of  the  waves, 
doubly  dangerous.  "The  creature's  instinct  speaks 
ill  for  our  hopes  !" 

"There    is    a   belief    among    seamen,    thai     these 


17-i  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

animals  feel  a  secret  impulse,  which  directs  them  to 
their  prey ;"  returned  the  Skimmer.  "  But  fortune 
may  yet  balk  them — Rogerson!"  calling  to  one  of 
his  followers — "  thy  pockets  are  rarely  wanting  in  a 
fisherman's  tackle.  Hast  thou,  haply,  line  and  hook, 
for  these  hungry  miscreants?  The  question  is  getting 
narrowed  to  one,  in  which  the  simplest  philosophy  is 
the  wisest.  When  eat  or  to  be  eaten,  is  the  mooted 
point,  most  men  will  decide  for  the  former." 

A  hook  of  sufficient  size  was  soon  produced,  and 
a  line  was  quietly  provided  from  some  of  the  small 
cordage  that  still  remained  about  the  masts.  A  piece 
of  leather,  torn  from  a  spar,  answered  for  the  bait ; 
and  the  lure  was  thrown.  Extreme  hunger  seemed 
to  engross  the  voracious  animals,  who  darted  at  the 
imaginary  prey  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  The 
shock  was  so  sudden  and  violent,  that  the  hapless 
mariner  was  drawn  from  his  slippery  and  precarious 
footing,  into  the  sea.  The  whole  passed  with  a 
frightful  and  alarming  rapidity.  A  common  cry  of 
horror  was  heard,  and  the  last  despairing  glance  of 
the  fallen  man  was  witnessed.  The  mutilated  body 
floated  for  an  instant  in  its  blood,  with  the  look  of 
agony  and  terror  still  imprinted  on  the  conscious 
countenance.  At  the  next  moment,  it  had  become 
food  for  the  monsters  of  the  sea. 

All  had  passed  away  but  the  deep  dye  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean.  The  gorged  fish  disappeared ; 
but  the  dark  spot  remained  near  the  immovable  raft, 
as  if  placed  there  to  warn  the  survivors  of  their 
fate. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  175 

"  This  is  horrible  !"  said  Ludlow. 

"A  sail!"  shouted  the  Skimmer,  whose  voice  and 
tone,  breaking  in  on  that  moment  of  intense  horror 
and  apprehension,  sounded  like  a  cry  from  the  heav- 
ens.    "  My  gallant  brigantine !" 

"  God  grant  she  come  with  better  fortune  than 
those  who  have  so  lately  left  us  !" 

"  God  grant  it,  truly !  If  this  hope  fail,  there  is 
none  left.  Few  pass  here,  and  we  have  had  sufficient 
proof  that  our  top-gallants  are  not  so  lofty  as  to 
catch  every  eye." 

All  attention  was  now  bestowed  on  the  white  speck 
which  was  visible  on  the  margin  of  the  ocean,  and 
which  the  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas"  confidently  pro- 
nounced to  be  the  Water- Witch.  None  but  a  seaman 
could  have  felt  this  certainty;  for,  seen  from  the  low 
raft,  there  was  little  else  to  be  distinguished  but  the 
heads  of  the  upper  sails.  The  direction,  too,  was  un- 
favorable, as  it  was  to  leeward;  but  both  Ludlow  and 
the  freetrader  assured  their  companions,  that  the 
vessel  was  endeavoring  to  beat  in  with  the  land. 

The  two  hours  that  succeeded  lingered  like  days 
of  misery.  So  much  depended  on  a  variety  of  events 
that  every  circumstance  was  noted  by  the  seamen  of 
the  party,  with  an  interesl  bordering  on  agony.  A 
failure  of  the  wind  might  compel  the  vessel  to  remain 
stationary,  ami  then  both  brigantine  and  raft  would 
be  at  the  mercy  of  the  uncertain  currents  of  the 
ocean  ;  a  change  of  wind  might  cause  a  change  of 
course,  and  render  a  meeting  impossible;  an  increase 
of  the  breeze  might  cause  destruction,  even  before  the 


176  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

succor  could  come.  In  addition  to  these  obvious 
hazards,  there  were  all  the  chances  which  were  de- 
pendent on  the  fact  that  the  people  of  the  brigantine 
had  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  fate  of  the  party 
was  already  sealed. 

Still  fortune  seemed  propitious  ;  for  the  breeze, 
though  steady,  was  light,  the  intention  of  the  vessel 
was  evidently  to  pass  somewhere  near  them,  and  the 
hope  that  their  object  was  search,  so  strong  and 
plausible,  as  to  exhilarate  every  bosom. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  time  named  the  brigantine 
passed  the  raft,  to  leeward,  and  so  near  as  to  render 
the  smaller  objects  in  her  rigging  distinctly  visible. 

"  The  faithful  fellows  are  looking  for  us  !"  exclaim- 
ed the  free-trader,  with  strong  emotion  in  his  voice. 
"  They  are  men  to  scour  the  coast,  ere  they  abandon 
us!"  ' 

"  They  pass  us — wave  the  signal — it  may  catch 
their  eyes !" 

The  little  flag  was  unheeded,  and,  after  so  long  and 
so  intense  expectation,  the  party  on  the  raft  had  the 
pain  to  see  the  swift-moving  vessel  glide  past  them, 
and  drawing  so  far  ahead  as  to  leave  little  hope  of  her 
return.  The  heart  of  even  the  "  Skimmer  of  the  Seas" 
appeared  to  sink  within  him,  at  the  disappointment. 

"  For  myself,  I  care  not,"  said  the  stout  mariner 
mournfully.  "  Of  what  consequence  is  it,  in  what 
sea,  or  on  what  voyage  a  seamen  goes  into  his  watery 
tomb? — but  for  thee,  my  hapless  and  playful  Eudora, 
I  could  Avish  another  fate — ha  ! — she  tacks ! — the  sea- 
green  lady  has  an  instinct  for  her  children,  after  all !" 


STOEIE8    OF   THE    SEA.  177 

The  brigantine  was  in  stays.  In  ten  or  fifteen  min- 
utes more,  the  vessel  was  again  abeam  of  the  raft, 
and  to  windward. 

"  If  she  pass  us  now,  our  chance  is  gone,  without  a 
shadow  of  hope,"  said  the  Skimmer,  motioning  sol- 
emnly for  silence.  Then,  applying  his  hands  to  his 
mouth,  he  shouted,  as  if  despair  lent  a  giant's  volume 
to  his  lungs : 

"  Ho !  The  Water-Witch  !— ahoy !" 

The  last  word  issued  from  his  lips  with  the  clear, 
audible  cry,  that  the  peculiar  sound  is  intended  to 
produce.  It  appeared  as  if  the  conscious  little  bark 
knew  its  commander's  voice;  for  its  course  changed 
slightly,  as  if  the  fabric  were  possessed  of  the  con- 
sciousness and  faculties  of  life. 

"Ho!  The  Water- Witch !— ahoy !"  shouted  the 
Skimmer,  with  a  still  mightier  effort. 

"  —  Hilloa!"  came  down  faintly  on  the  breeze,  and 
the  direction  of  the  brigantine  again  altered. 

"The  Water-Witch!— the  Water-Witch  !— ahoy !" 
broke  out  of  the  lips  of  the  mariner  of  the  shawl,  with 
a  supernatural  force — the  last  cry  being  drawn  out, 
till  he  who  uttered  it  sunk  back  exhausted  with  the 
effort. 

The  words  were  still  ringing  in  the  ears  of  the 
breathless  party  on  the  raft,  when  a  heavy  shout 
swepl  across  the  water.  At  the  next  moment  the 
boom  of  the  brigantine  swung  oil",  and  her  narrow 
bows  were  seen  pointing  toward  the  little  beacon  of 
white  that  played  above  the  sea.  It  was  but  a  mo- 
ment, but  it  was  a  moment  pregnant  with  a  thousand 
12 


178  STOKIES    OF    TIIE    SEA. 

hopes  and  fears,  before  the  beautiful  craft  was  gliding 
within  fifty  feet  of  the  top.  In  less  than  five  minutes 
the  spars  of  the  Coquette  were  floating  on  the  wide 
ocean,  unpeopled  and  abandoned. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  179 


ADVENTURES  IN  THE  PACIFIC. 

AN   ENCOUNTER   WITH    INDIANS. 

The  ship  "  Crisis"  on  a  trading  voyage  up  the  Pa- 
cific, proceeded  to  the  north-west  coast,'  with  the  in- 
tention of  exchanging  with  the  natives,  beads,  knives, 
and  other  handy  articles  for  valuable  furs.  She  was 
commanded  by  Captain  Williams,  her  first  officer 
was  Moses  Marble,  and  her  second,  Miles  Walling- 
ford,  by  whom  the  story  is  related  in  Mr.  Cooper's 
"  Afloat  and  Ashore."  The  Crisis  stopped  at  many 
points  along  the  coast,  doing  a  very  good  business 
with  the  natives,  reaching  as  far  north  as  53°,  which 
is  pretty  much  all,  says  Mr.  Wallingford,  I  ever  knew 
of  our  last  position. 

We  got  a  very  secure  berth,  having  been  led  to  it 
by  a  native  pilot  who  boarded  us  several  leagues  at 
sea,  and  who  knew  enough  English  to  persuade  our 
captain  that  he  could  take  us  to  a  point  where  Bea- 
otter  skins  might  be  had  for  the  asking.  Nor  did  the 
man  deceive  us,  though  a  more  unpromising-looking 
guide  never  had  charge  of  Christians.  He  carried  us 
into  a  very  small  bay,  where  we  found  plenty  of  water, 
capital  holding-ground,  and  a  basin  as  smooth  as  a 
dock.  Uut  one  wind — that  which  blew  from  the 
north-west — could  make  any  impression  on  it,  and  the 
effects  of  even    that   were  much  broken  by  a  small 


180  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

island  that  lay  abreast  of  the  entrance ;  leaving  good 
passages,  on  each  side  of  it,  ont  to  sea.  The  basin 
itself  was  rather  small,  it  is  true,  but  it  did  well 
enough  for  a  single  ship.  Its  diameter  may  have  been 
three  hundred  yards,  and  I  never  saw  a  sheet  of  nat- 
ural water  that  was  so  near  a  circle.  Into  a  place 
like  this,  the  reader  will  imagine,  we  did  not  venture 
without  taking  the  proper  precautions.  Marble  was 
sent  in  first,  to  reconnoitre  and  sound,  and  it  was  on 
his  report  that  Captain  Williams  ventured  to  take  the 
ship  in. 

At  that  time,  ships  on  the  north-west  coast  had 
to  use  the  greatest  precautions  against  the  treachery 
and  violence  of  the  natives.  This  rendered  the  size 
of  our  haven  the  subject  of  distrust;  for,  lying  in  the 
middle  of  it,  Avhere  we  moored,  we  were  barely  an 
arrow's  flight  from  the  shore,  in  every  direction  but 
that  which  led  to  the  narrow  entrance.  It  was  a 
most  secure  anchorage,  as  against  the  dangers  of  the 
sea,  but  a  most  insecure  one  as  against  the  dangers 
of  the  savages.  This  we  all  felt,  as  soon  as  our 
anchors  were  down  ;  but,  intending  to  remain  only 
while  we  bartered  for  the  skins  which  we  had  been 
told  were  ready  for  the  first  ship  that  should  offer,  we 
t lusted  to  vigilance  as  our  safeguard  in  the  interval. 

J  never  could  master  the  uncouth  sounds  of  the 
still  more  uncouth  savages  of  that  distant  region. 
The  fellow  who  carried  us  in  had  a  name  of  his  own, 
doubtless,  but  it  was  not  to  be  pronounced  by  a  Chris- 
tian tongue,  and  he  got  the  sobriquet  of  the  Dipper  from 
us,  owing  to  the  manner  in  which  he  ducked  at  the 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  181 

report  of  our  muskets,  which  had  been  discharged 
by  .Marble  merely  with  the  intention  to  renew  the 
cartridges.  We  had  hardly  got  into  the  little  basin, 
before  the  Dipper  left  us,  returning  in  an  hour,  how- 
ever, with  a  canoe  loaded  to  the  water's  edge,  with 
beautiful  skins,  and  accompanied  by  three  savages  as 
wild-looking,  seemingly  as  fierce,  and  certainly  as 
avaricious  as  he  Avas  himself.  These  auxiliaries, 
through  A-arious  little  circumstances,  Avere  known 
among  us  that  same  afternoon,  by  the  several  appella- 
tions of  Smudge,  Tin-pot,  and  Slit-nose.  These  Avere 
not  heroic  names,  of  a  certainty,  but  their  owners  had 
a-  little  of  the  heroic  in  their  appearance,  as  usually 
falls  to  the  lot  of  man  in  the  savage  state.  I  cannot 
tell  the  designation  of  the  tribes  to  which  these  four 
Avorthies  belonged,  nor  do  I  knoAV  any  more  of  their 
history  ami  pursuits  than  the  few  facts  which  came 
under  my  own  immediate  observation.  I  did  ask 
some  questions  of  the  captain,  with  a  A'iew  to  obtain 
a  few  ideas  on  this  subject,  but  all  he  knew  Avas,  that 
these  people  put  a  high  value  on  blankets,  beads,  gun- 
powder,  frying-pans,  and  old  hoops,  and  that  they  set  a 
remarkably  low  price  on  sea-otter  skins,  as  Avell  as  on 
the  external  coverings  of  sundry  other  animals. 

I  had  often  seen  our  own  Indians  alter  they  had 
become  degraded  by  their  intercourse  with  the 
whites  and  the  use  of  rum,  but  never  had  I  beheld 
any  beings  so  low  in  the  scale  of  the  human  race, 
as  the  north-western  savages  appeared  to  lie.  Still 
they  were  not  altogether  withoul  the  means  of  com- 
manding   our  respect.       As  physical    men   they  were 


182  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

both  active  and  strong,  and  there  were  gleams  of  fe- 
rocity about  them  that  all  their  avarice  and  art  could 
not  conceal.  I  could  not  discover  in  their  usages, 
dress,  or  deportment,  a  single  trace  of  that  chivalrous 
honor  which  forms  so  great  a  relief  to  the  well-estab- 
lished cruelty  of  the  warrior  of  our  own  part  of  the 
continent.  Then,  these  sea-otter  dealers  had  some 
knowledge  of  the  use  of  fire-arms,  and  were  too  well 
acquainted  with  the  ships  of  us  civilized  men  to  have 
any  superstitious,  dread  of  our  power. 

The  Dipper,  and  his  companions,  sold  us  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-three  sea-otter  skins  the  very  after- 
noon we  anchored.  This,  of  itself,  was  thought  to 
be  a  sufficient  reward  for  the  trouble  and  risk  of 
coming  into  this  unknown  basin.  Both  parties 
seemed  pleased  with  the  results  of  the  trading,  and 
we  were  given  to  understand  that,  by  remaining  at 
anchor,  Ave  might  hope  for  six  or  eight  times  our 
present  number  of  skins.  Captain  Williams  was 
greatly  gratified  with  the  success  with  which  he  had 
already  met,  and  having  found  that  all  the  Dipper 
had  promised  came  true,  he  determined  to  remain 
a  day  or  two,  in  his  present  berth,  in  order  to  wait 
for  more  bargains.  This  resolution  was  no  sooner 
communicated  to  the  savages  than  they  expressed 
their  delight,  sending  off' Tin-pot  and  Slit-nose  with 
the  intelligence,  while  the  Dipper  and  Smudge  re- 
mained in  the  ship,  apparently  on  terms  of  perfect 
good-fellowship  with  everybody  on  board. 

Marble  and  myself  observed  that  the  canoe,  in 
which  the  messengers  left  us,  did  not  pull  out  to  sea, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  183 

but  that  it  entered  a  small  stream  or  creek,  that  com- 
municated with  the  head  of  the  bay.  As  there  was 
no  duty  on  board,  we  asked  the  captain's  permission 
to  explore  this  spot ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  make 
a  more  thorough  examination  of  our  haven,  gener- 
ally. The  request  being  granted,  we  got  into  the 
yawl,  with  four  men,  all  of  us  armed,  and  set  out 
on  our  little  expedition.  Smudge,  a  withered,  gray- 
headed  old  Indian,  with  muscles,  however,  that  re- 
sembled whipcord,  was  alone  on  deck,  when  this 
movement  took  place.  He  watched  our  proceed- 
ings narrowly,  and,  when  he  saw  us  descend  into 
the  boat,  he  very  coolly  slipped  down  the  ship's  side, 
and  took  his  place  in  the  stern-sheets,  with  as  much 
quiet  dignity  as  if  he  had  been  captain.  Marble  was 
a  good  deal  of  a  ship's  martinet  in  such  matters,  and 
he  did  not  more  than  half  like  the  familiarity  and 
impudence  of  the  procedure. 

"  What  say  you,  Miles,"  he  asked,  a  little  sharply, 
"  shall  we  take  this  dried  ourang-outang  ashore  with 
us,  or  shall  we  try  to  moisten  him  a  little,  by  throw- 
ing him  overboard  ?" 

"  Let  him  go,  by  all  means,  Mr.  Marble.  I  dare 
say  the  man  wishes  to  be  of  use,  and  he  has  only  a 
bad  manner  of  showing  it." 

"Of  use!  lie  is  worth  no  more  than  the  carcass 
of  a  whale  thai  lias  been  stripped  of  its  blubber.  I 
say,  Milrs,  there  would  be  no  need  of  the  windlass  to 
heave  the  blanket  off  of  this  fish." 

This  professional  witticism  put  Marble  in  good  hu- 
mor with  himself,  and  he  permitted  the  fellow  to  re- 


184  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

main.  I  remember  the  thoughts  that  passed  through 
my  mind,  as  the  yawl  pulled  toward  the  creek,  on  that 
occasion,  as  well  as  if  it  had  all  occurred  yesterday. 
I  sat,  looking  at  the  semi-human  being  who  was 
seated  opposite,  wondering  at  the  dispensation  of 
Divine  Providence  which  could  leave  one  endowed 
with  a  portion  of  the  ineffable  nature  of  the  Deity, 
in  a  situation  so  degraded.  I  had  seen  beasts  in 
cages  that  appeared  to  me  to  be  quite  as  intelligent, 
and  members  of  the  diversified  family  of  human 
caricatures,  or  of  the  baboons  and  monkeys,  that  I 
thought  were  quite  as  agreeable  objects  to  the  eye. 
Smudge  seemed  to  be  almost  without  ideas.  In  his 
bargains,  he  had  trusted  entirely  to  the  vigilance  of 
the  Dipper,  Avhom  we  supposed  to  be  some  sort  of  a 
relation ;  and  the  articles  he  received  in  exchange  for 
his  skins,  failed  to  arouse  in  his  grim,  vacant  coun- 
tenance, the  smallest  signs  of  pleasure.  Emotion  and 
he,  if  they  had  been  acquainted,  noAV  appeared  to  be 
utter  strangers  to  each  other  ;  nor  was  this  apathy  in 
the  least  like  the  well-known  stoicism  of  the  Ameri- 
can Indian ;  but  had  the  air  of  downright  insensibil- 
ity. 

We  found  the  inlet  deep,  but  narrow  and  winding. 
Like  the  bay  itself,  it  was  fringed  with  trees  and 
bushes,  and  this  in  a  way  to  render  it  difficult  to  get 
a  view  of  any  thing  on  the  land ;  more  especially 
as  the  banks  were  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in  height. 
Under  the  circumstances,  Marble  proposed  that  we 
should  land  on  both  sides  of  the  creek,  and  follow  its 
windings  on  foot,  for  a  short  distance,  in  order  to  get 


STORIES    OF    THE    SE\.  185 

a  better  opportunity  to  reconnoitre.  Our  disposi- 
tions were  soon  made.  Marble  and  one  of  the  boat's 
crew,  each  armed,  landed  on  one  side  of  the  inlet, 
while  Neb  and  myself,  similarly  provided,  went 
ashore  on  the  other.  The  two  remaining  men  were 
ordered  to  keep  abreast  of  us  in  the  boat,  in  readiness 
to  take  us  on  board  again,  as  soon  as  required. 

"Leave  that  Mr.  Smudge  in  the  boat,  Miles,1'  Mar- 
ble called  out  across  the  creek,  as  I  was  about  to  put 
foot  on  the  ground.  I  made  a  sign  to  that  effect  to 
the  savage,  but  when  I  reached  the  level  ground  on 
the  top  of  the  bank,  I  perceived  the  fellow  was  at  my 
elbow.  It  was  so  difficult  to  make  such  a  creature 
understand  one's  wishes,  without  the  aid  of  speech, 
that,  after  a  fruitless  effort  or  two  to  send  him  back 
by  means  of  signs,  I  abandoned  the  attempt,  and 
moved  fir  ward,  so  as  to  keep  the  whole  party  in  the 
desired  line. 

There  was  nothing,  however,  to  excite  alarm,  or 
awaken  distrust.  We  found  ourselves  in  a  virgin 
forest,  with  all  its  wildness,  dampness,  gloomy  shad- 
ows, dead  ami  (alien  trees,  and  unequal  surface.  On 
my  side  of  the  creek,  there  was  not  the  smallest  sign 
of  a  footpath;  and  Marble  soon  called  out  to  say,  be 
was  equally  without  any  evidences  of  the  steps  of 
man.  I  should  think  we  proceeded  quite  a  mile  in 
this  manner,  certain  that  the  inlet  would  be  a  true 
guide  on  oin-  return.  At  length  a  call  from  the  boat 
Lei  us  know  there  was  no  longer  water  enough  to 
float  it,  an-1  that  it  could  proceed  no  farther.  Mar- 
ble and  myself  descended  the  banks  at  the  same  mo- 


ISO  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

ment,  and  were  taken  in,  intending  to  return  in  the 
yawl.  Smudge  glided  back  to  his  old  place,  with  his 
former  silence. 

It  was  a  matter  of  surprise  to  us  that  we  had  met 
no  traces  of  any  thing  like  a  residence  near  the  creek, 
not  the  smallest  sign  of  man  having  been  discovered 
by  either.  It  was  reasonable  to  expect  that  some 
traces  of  an  encampment,  at  least,  would  have  been 
found.  Everybody  kept  a  vigilant  look-out  at  the 
shore  as  we  descended  the  creek ;  but,  as  on  the 
ascent,  not  even  a  footprint  was  detected. 

On  reaching  the  bay,  there  being  still  several  hours 
of  daylight,  we  made  its  entire  circuit,  finding  no- 
where any  proof  of  the  former  presence  of  man.  At 
length,  Marble  proposed  pulling  to  the  small  wooded 
island  that  lay  a  little  without  the  entrance  of  the 
haven,  suggesting  that  it  was  possible  the  savages 
might  have  something  like  an  encampment  there,  the 
place  being  more  convenient  as  a  look-out  into  the 
offing,  than  any  point  within  the  bay  itself.  In  order 
to  do  this,  it  was  necessary  to  pass  the  ship ;  and  we 
were  hailed  by  the  captain,  Avho  wished  to  know  the 
result  of  our  examinations.  As  soon  as  he  learned 
our  present  object,  he  told  us  to  come  alongside,  in- 
tending to  accompany  us  to  the  island  in  person.  On 
getting  into  the  boat,  which  was  small  and  a  little 
crowded  by  the  presence  of  Smudge,  Captain  Wil- 
liams made  a  sign  for  that  personage  to  quit  the 
yawl.  He  might  as  well  have  intimated  as  much  to 
one  of  the  thwarts!  Lauidiino;  at  the  savage's  stu- 
pidity,  or  obstinacy,  we  scarce  knew  which  to  term 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  187 

it,  the  boat  was  shoved  off,  and  we  pulled  through  the 
entrance,  two  hundred  yards  outside  perhaps,  until 
our  keel  grated  agrainst  the  low  rocks  of  this  islet. 

There  was  no  difficulty  in  landing ;  and  Neb,  who 
preceded  the  party,  soon  gave  a  shout,  the  proof  that 
he  had  made  some  discovery.  Every  man  among  us 
now  looked  to  his  arms,  expecting  to  meet  an  en- 
campment of  savages ;  but  we  Avere  disappointed. 
All  that  the  negro  had  discovered  were  the  unequivo- 
cal traces  of  a  former  bivouac ;  and,  judging  from  a 
few  of  the  signs,  that  of  a  very  recent  occupation. 
The  traces  were  extensive,  covering  quite  half  of  the 
interior  of  the  island  ;  leaving  an  extensive  curtain 
of  trees  and  bushes,  however,  so  as  completely  to 
conceal  the  spot  from  any  eyes  without. 

At  firsf,  nothing  was  discovered  in  this  encamp- 
ment, which  had  every  appearance  of  not  having 
been  extensively  used  for  years,  though  the  traces 
of  numerous  (ires,  and  the  signs  of  footsteps,  and  a 
spring  in  the  centre,  indicated  the  recent  occupation 
of  which  I  have  just  spoken.  A  little  further  scru- 
tiny, however,  brought  to  light  certain  objects  that 
we  did  not  note  without  much  wonder  and  concern. 
Marble  made  the  first  discovery.  It  was  impossihle 
for  seamen  to  mistake  t lie  object,  which  was  the  head 
of  a  rudder,  containing  the  tiller-hole,  and  which 
might  have  belonged  to  a  vessel  of  some  two  hundred 
ind  fifty  or  three  hundred  tons.  This  set  all  hands 
of  us  ,il  work,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  found,  scat- 
tered about,  fragments  of  plank,  top-timbers,  floor- 
timbers,  and  other  portions  of  a  ship,  all  more  or  less 


1SS  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

burnt,  and  stripped  of  every  particle  of  metal.  Even 
the  nails  had  been  drawn  by  means  of  perseverance 
and  labor.  Nothing  was  left  but  the  wood,  which 
proved  to  be  live-oak,  cedar,  and  locust — the  proofs 
that  the  unfortunate  craft  had  been  a  vessel  of  some 
value.  We  wanted  no  assurance  of  this,  however,  as 
none  but  a  north-west  trader  could  well  have  got  as 
high  up  the  coast,  and  all  vessels  of  that  class  were 
of  the  best  description.  Then  the  locust,  a  wood  un- 
known to  the  ship-builders  of  Europe,  gave  us  the 
nearly  certain  assurance  that  this  doomed  craft  had 
been  a  countryman. 

At  first,  we  were  all  too  much  occupied  with  our 
interesting  discovery  to  bethink  us  of  Smudge.  At 
length,  I  turned  to  observe  its  effect  on  the  savage.  He 
evidently  noted  our  proceedings ;  but  his  feelings,  if 
the  creature  had  any,  were  so  deeply  buried  beneath 
the  mask  of  dulness,  as  completely  to  foil  my  pene- 
tration. He  saw  us  take  up  fragment  after  fragment, 
examine  them,  heard  us  converse  over  them,  though 
in  a  language  he  could  not  understand,  and  saw  us 

©  ©  ' 

throw  them  away,  one  after  another,  with  seemingly 
equal  indifference. 

We  looked  carefully  in  all  directions,  in  the  hope 
of  discovering  something  that  might  give  us  an  in- 
sight into  the  nature  of  the  disaster  that  had  evi- 

© 

dently  occurred,  but  for  some  time  without  success. 
At  length,  I  strolled  to  a  little  distance,  and  took  a 
seat  on  a  flat  stone,  which  had  been  placed  on  the 
living  rock  that  faced  most  of  the  island,  evidently  to 
form  a  resting-place.     My  seat  proved  unsteady,  and 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  1S9 

in  endeavoring  to  adjust  it  more  to  my  mind,  I  re- 
moved the  stone,  and  discovered  that  it  rested  on  a 
common  log-slate.  This  slate  was  still  covered  with 
legible  writing,  and  I  soon  had  the  whole  party 
around  me,  eager  to  learn  the  contents.  The  melan- 
choly record  was  in  these  precise  words,  viz. : 

"  The  American  brig  Sea-Otter,  John  Squires,  mas- 
ter, coaxed  into  this  bay,  June  9th,  1797,  and  seized 
by  savages,  on  the  morning  of  the  11th.  Master, 
second-mate,  and  seven  of  the  people  killed  on  the 
spot.  Brig  gutted  first,  then  hauled  up  here,  and 
burnt  to  the  water's  edge  for  the  iron.  David  King, 
first-mate,  and  six  others,  viz.,  George  Lunt,  Henry 
Webster,  Stephen  Stimpson  and  John  Harris,  sea- 
men, Bill  Flint,  cook,  and  Peter  Doolittle,  boy,  still 
living,  but  God  only  knows  what  is  to  be  our  fate.  I 
shall  put  this  slate  beneath  the  stone  I  now  sit  on,  in 
the  hope  it  may  one  day  let  our  friends  learn  what 
has  happened." 

We  looked  at  each  other,  astounded.  Both  the 
captain  and  Marble  remembered  to  have  heard  that  a 
brig  in  this  trade,  called  the  Sea-Otter,  was  missing; 
and,  here,  by  a  communication  that  was  little  short 
of  miraculous,  we  were  let  into  thejsecret  of  her  dis- 
appearance. 

"  Coaxed  in — "  repeated  the  captain.  "  Yes,  yes — 
I  now  begin  to  understand  the  whole  matter.  If 
there  were  any  wind,  gentlemen,  I  would  go  to  sea 
this  very  night." 

"That  would  be  hardly  worth  our  while,  Captain 
Williams,"  the   chief-mate   answered,  since   we  are 


190  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

now  on  our  guard,  and  I  feel  pretty  certain  that 
there  are  no  savages  in  our  neighborhood.  So  far, 
the  Dipper  and  his  friends  have  traded  with  us  fairly 
enough,  and  it  is  likely  they  have  more  skins  to  dis- 
pose of.  This  chap,  whom  the  people  have  christ- 
ened Smudge,  takes  matters  so  coolly,  that  I  hardly 
think  he  knows  any  thing  about  the  Sea-Otter,  which 
may  have  been  cut  off  by  another  gang,  altogether." 

There  Avas  good  reason  in  these  remarks,  and  they 
had  their  effect  on  the  captain.  The  latter,  however, 
determined  to  put  Smudge  to  the  proof,  by  showing 
him  the  slate,  and  othei*wise  bringing  him  under  such 
a  cross-examination  as  signs  alone  could  effect.  I 
dare  say,  an  indifferent  spectator  would  have  laughed 
at  witnessing  our  efforts  to  confound  the  Indian. 
We  made  grimaces,  pointed,  exclaimed,  hallooed, 
swore,  and  gesticulated  in  vain.  Smudge  was  as  un- 
moved at  it  all,  as  the  fragment  of  keel  to  which  he 
was  confronted.  The  fellow  either  did  not,  or  would 
not  understand  us.  His  stupidity  defied  our  tests; 
and  Marble  gave  the  matter  up  in  despair,  declaring 
that  "  the  beast  knows  nothing  of  any  thing,  much 
less  of  the  Sea-Otter."  As  for  the  slate,  he  did  not  seem 
to  have  the  smallest  notion  what  such  a  thing  meant. 

"We  returned  to  the  ship,  carrying  with  us  the 
slate,  and  the  report  of  our  discoveries.  All  hands 
were  called,  and  the  captain  made  us  a  speech.  We 
were  told  how  ships  were  lost  by  the  carelessness  of 
their  crews ;  reminded  that  we  were  on  the  north-west 
coast,  where  a  vessel  with  a  few  boxes  of  beads  and 
bales  of  blankets,  to  say  nothing  of  her  gunpowder, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  191 

fire-arms,  and  metals,  was  as  valuable  as  a  vessel  la- 
den with  gold-dust  would  be  in  one  of  our  own  ports. 
Vigilance  while  on  watch,  and  obedience  to  the  or- 
ders of  the  vessel,  in  the  event  of  an  alarm,  were  the 
principal  things  dwelt  on.  By  observing  these  two 
great  requisites,  we  should  all  be  safe  enough  ;  where- 
as, by  disregarding  them,  we  should  probably  share 
the  fate  of  the  people  of  the  brig,  of  which  we  had 
just  discovered  some  of  the  remains. 

I  will  confess  I  passed  an  uncomfortable  night, 
An  unknown  enemy  is  always  a  formidable  enemy. 
but  nothing  came  of  it  all.  The  Dipper  and  Smudge 
ate  their  supper  with  the  appetites  of  injured  inno- 
cence, and  slept  like  tops.  If  guilty,  we  all  agreed 
that  they  must  be  utterly  destitute  of  consciences. 
As  for  ourselves,  we  were  on  the  alert  until  near 
morning,  the  very  moment  when  the  danger  would 
probably  be  the  greatest,  provided  there  were  any  at 
all  ;  and  then  weariness  overcame  all  who  were  not 
on  the  look-out,  and  some  who  were.  Still,  nothing 
happened.  The  sun  returned  to  us  in  due  season, 
gilding  the  tree-tops  with  its  beams ;  our  little  bay 
began  to  bask  in  its  glory,  and  with  the  cheerfulness 
thai  usually  accompanies  such  a  scene,  vanished  most 
of  our  apprehensions  for  the  moment. 

Smudge  and  the  Dipper  behaved  admirably  all  next 
day.  Beef,  pork,  and  bread  seemed  to  engross  their 
thoughts  •  and  when  they  were  not  eating,  they  were 
busy  with  sleep.  At  length  we  grew  ashamed  of 
watching  such  mere  animals,  and  turned  our  thoughts 
toother  subjects.    We  had  understood  the  Dipper, 


192  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

that  eight-and-forty  hours  must  elapse  before  we 
might  expect  to  see  any  more  skins ;  and  Captain 
Williams,  passing  from  alarm  to  extreme  security, 
determined  to  profit  by  a  lovely  day,  and  send  down, 
or  rather  strip,  all  three  of  the  topmasts,  and  pay 
some  necessary  attention  to  their  rigging.  At  nine 
o'clock,  accordingly,  the  hands  were  turned-to,  and 
before  noon  the  ship  was  pretty  thoroughly  en  desha- 
bille. We  seut  as  little  down  as  possible,  keeping 
even  the  topsail-yards  aloft,  though  without  their 
lifts  or  braces,  steadying  them  by  guys  ;  but  the  top- 
masts were  lowered  as  far  as  was  found  possible, 
without  absolutely  placing  the  lower  yards  on  the 
hammock-cloths.  The  security  of  the  haven,  and  the 
extreme  beauty  of  the  weather,  emboldened  the  cap- 
tain to  do  this  ;  apprehension  of  every  sort  appearing 
to  have  quite  taken  leave  of  him. 

The  work  proceeded  merrily.  By  sunset,  the 
chafes  were  examined,  and  parcelled,  and  served 
anew ;  and  the  topmast  rigging  was  all  got  up  and 
put  over  the  mastdieads  again,  and  every  thing  was 
ready  to  sway  upon  in  the  morning.  But  an  uncom- 
monly active  day  required  a  good  night's  rest ;  and 
the  people  were  all  ordered  to  turn  in,  as  soon  as  they 
had  supped.  The  ship  was  to  be  left  to  the  vigilance 
of  the  captain  and  the  three  mates,  during  the  night. 

The  anchor-watch  was  set  at  eight,  and  ran  from 
two  hours  to  two  hours.  My  turn  commenced  at 
midnight,  and  was  to  last  until  two  ;  Marble  suc- 
ceeding me  from  two  until  four,  when  all  hands  were 
to  be  called  to  get  our  sticks  aloft.     When  I  turned 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  193 

out  at  twelve,  I  found  the  third  mate  conversing,  as 
•well  as  he  could,  with  the  Dipper;  who,  with  Smudge, 
having  slept  so  much  of  the  day,  appeared  disposed 
to  pass  the  night  in  smoking. 

"  How  lon<x  have  these  fellows  been  on  deck  ?"  I 
asked  of  the  third  mate,  as  he  was  about  to  go  below. 

"  All  my  watch ;  I  found  them  with  the  captain, 
who  passed  them  over  to  me  for  company.  If  that 
chap,  the  Dipper,  only  knew  any  thing  of  a  human 
language,  he  would  be  something  of  society ;  but 
I'm  as  tired  of  making  signs  to  him,  as  I  ever  was 
with  a  hard  day's  work. 

I  was  armed,  and  felt  ashamed  of  manifesting  fear 
of  an  unarmed  man.  Then  the  two  savages  gave  no 
additional  cause  of  distrust ;  the  Dipper  having  taken 
a  seat  on  the  windlass,  where  he  was  smoking  his  pipe 
witli  an  appearance  of  philosophy  that  would  have 
done  credit  to  the  gravest-looking  baboon. 

I  took  charge  of  the  decks  with  a  very  lively  sense 
of  the  peculiarity  of  our  situation.  The  security  that 
prevailed  on  board  struck  me  as  unnatural ;  and  yet  I 
could  detect  no  particular  reason  for  immediate  alarm. 
I  might  be  thrown  overboard  or  murdered  by  the  two 
savages  on  deck,  it  was  very  true ;  but  of  what  use 
would  it  be  to  destroy  me,  since  they  could  not  hope 
in  destroy  all  the  rest  on  board  without  being  discov- 
ered. The  night  was  stardit,  and  there  was  little 
chance  of  a  canoe's  approaching  the  ship  without  my 
seeing  it  ;  a  circumstance  that,  of  itself,  in  a  great 
measure,  removed  the  danger.  I  passed  the  first 
quarter  of  an  hour  in  reflecting  on  these  things  ;  and 
13 


194  STOEIES   OF    THE    SEA. 

then,  as  use  accustomed  me  to  my  situation,  I  began 
to  think  less  of  them,  and  to  revert  to  other  subjects. 

It  was  seldom  I  passed  a  tranquil  watch  at  night 
without  revisiting  the  scenes  of  my  boyhood.  On  the 
present  occasion,  I  was  lost  in  ruminations  on  the  past, 
and  in  imagining  events  for  the  future.  I  was  not  par- 
ticularly expert  at  building  castles  in  the  air;  but 
what  youth  of  twenty  never  reared  some  sort  of  fabric 
of  this  nature  ?  I  was  completely  entranced  by  one 
of  these  fanciful  structures,  when  something  suddenly 
was  passed  between  my  teeth,  and  drawn  so  tight  as 
to  prevent  my  calling  out,  at  the  same  moment  my 
arms  were  seized  from  behind,  and  held  as  if  grasped 
by  a  vice.  Turning,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  I  found 
that  rascal  Smudge  had  been  breathing  within  an  inch 
of  my  ear,  while  he  passed  the  gag  ;  and  the  Dipper 
was  busy  in  lashing  my  arms  together  behind  my 
back.  The  whole  had  been  done  so  suddenly,  and  yet 
with  so  much  skill,  that  I  was  a  helpless  prisoner,  as 
it  might  be,  in  a  single  instant ! 

Resistance  being  as  much  out  of  my  power  as  it 
was  to  give  any  alarm,  I  was  soon  secured,  hands  and 
feet,  and  placed  carefully  in  the  waist,  a  little  out  of 
the  way  ;  for  I  probably  owed  my  life  solely  to  the 
wish  of  Smudge  to  keep  me  as  his  slave.  From  that 
instant  every  appearance  of  stupidity  vanished  from 
this  fellow's  countenance  and  manner,  and  he  became 
the  moving  spirit,  and  I  might  say  the  soul,  of  all  the 
proceedings  of  his  companions.  As  for  myself,  there 
I  sat,  lashed  to  a  spar,  utterly  unable  to  help  myself, 
an  unwilling  witness  of  all  that  followed.     I  felt  the 


STMK  IKS    OF    Til  K    SKA. 


rholi    had    been  done  to  suddenly   and   pel   with  w   much  skill,  that    I 
wai  H  belpleu  i  i      tier,  u  it  might  be,  In  a  itnglc  instant,"— l*age  194. 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  195 

imminent  danger  of  our  situation,  but  1  think  I  felt 
the  disgrace  of  having  such  a  surprise  occur  in  my 
watch,  more  even  than  the  personal  risks  1  ran  ! 

In  the  first  place,  I  was  disarmed.  Then,  the  Dip- 
per took  a  lantern  which  stood  on  the  binnacle,  light- 
ed it,  and  showed  it,  for  half  a  minute,  above  the 
taffrail.  His  signal  must  have  been  instantly  an- 
swered, for  he  soon  extinguished  the  light,  and  moved 
about  the  deck,  in  attentive  watchfulness  to  seize;  any 
straggler  who  might  happen  to  come  on  deck.  Little 
fear  of  that,  however,  weariness  chaining  the  men  to 
their  berths  as  closely  as  if  they  had  been  bolted  down 
with  iron.  I  now  expected  to  see  the  fellows  fill  the 
yawl  with  effects,  and  run  away  with  them,  for,  as 
yet,  I  could  not  believe  that  two  men  would  have  the 
hardihood  to  attack  such  a  ship's  company  as  ours. 

I  reckoned  without  my  host.  It  might  have  been 
ten  minutes  after  I  was  seized,  that  dark-looking  fig- 
ures began  to  climb  tin'  ship's  sides,  until  more  than 
thirty  of  them  were  on  her  decks.  This  was  done  so 
noiselessly,  too,  that  t lie  most  vigilant  attention  on  my 
part  gave  DO  notice  of  their  approach,  until  (hey  stood 
among  as.  All  these  men  were  armed;  a  few  with 
muskets;  others  with  clubs,  and  some  with  bows  and 
arrows.  So  far  as  I  could  discover,  each  had  some 
SOrl  of  a  knife,  and  a  few  had  hatchets,  or  tomahawks. 
To  my  greal  regret,  I  saw  that  three  or  four  were 
immediately  stationed  at  the  companion-way,  aft, 
and  as  many  more  at  the  booby-hatch,  forward.  This 
was  effectually  commanding  the  only  two  passages 
by  which  the  officers  and  men  would  be  likely  to  as- 


190  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

cend,  in  the  event  of  their  attempting  to  come  on 
deck.  It  is  true,  the  main  hatch,  as  well  as  that  of 
the  steerage,  was  used  by  day,  but  both  had  been 
covered  overnight,  and  no  one  would  think  of  using 
either,  unless  aware  of  the  danger  that  existed  on  deck. 

I  suffered  a  good  deal,  both  from  the  gag  and  the 
ropes  that  bound  my  limbs,  and  yet  I  hardly  thought 
of  the  pain,  so  intense  was  my  curiosity  as  to  what 
was  to  follow.  After  the  savages  were  all  on  board, 
the  first  quarter  of  an  hour  passed  in  making  their 
dispositions,  Smudge,  the  stupid,  inanimate,  senseless 
Smudge,  acting  as  leader,  and  manifesting  not  only 
authoi'ity,  but  readiness  and  sagacity.  He  placed  all 
his  people  in  ambush,  so  that  one  appearing  from,  be- 
low would  not  at  once  be  apprised  of  the  change 
that  had  taken  place  on  deck,  and  thus  give  the  sav- 
ages time  to  act.  After  this,  another  quarter  of  an 
hour  j^assed,  during  which  the  fall  of  a  pin  might  al- 
most have  been  heard,  so  profound  was  the  silence.  I 
shut  my  eyes  in  this  terrific  interval,  and  endeavored 
to  pray. 

"  On  deck,  here — forward,  there  !"  said  a  voice  sud- 
denly, that,  at  once,  I  knew  to  be  the  captain's.  I 
would  have  given  the  world  to  be  able  to  answer,  in 
order  to  warn  him  of  the  danger,  but  this  was  impos- 
sible. I  did  groan,  and  I  believe  the  captain  heard 
me  ;  for  he  moved  away  from  the  cabin-door,  and  call- 
ed out  "  Mr.  Wallingford — where  have  you  got  to, 
Mr.  Wallingford  ?"  He  was  without  his  hat,  having 
come  on  deck  half-clad,  simply  to  ascertain  how  went 
the  night,  and  it  makes  me  shudder,  even  now,  to 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  197 

write  about  the  blow  that  fell  on  his  unprotected  skull. 
It  would  have  felled  an  ox,  and  it  crushed  him  on  the 
spot.  The  caution  of  his  murderers  prevented  his 
falling,  however,  for  they  did  not  wish  to  alarm  the 
sleepers  below ;  though  the  plash  on  the  water  that 
followed,  could  not  fail  to  reach  ears  which  took  in 
every  sound  with  the  avidity  of  mine.  Thus  perished 
Captain  Williams,  a  mild,  well-meaning  man,  an  ex- 
cellent seaman,  and  one  whose  principal  fault  was 
want  of  caution.  I  do  not  think  the  water  was  neces- 
sary to  complete  his  fate,  as  nothing  human  could 
have  survived  such  a  blow. 

Smudge  had  been  the  principal  actor  in  this  fright- 
ful scene ;  and  as  soon  as  it  Avas  over  he  caused  his 
men  to  return  to  their  ambushes.  I  now  thought  the 
officers  and  men  were  to  be  murdered,  in  this  manner, 
as  one  by  one  they  appeared  on  deck.  It  would  soon 
be  time  for  Marble  to  turn  out,  though  there  was  the 
hope  he  might  no1  unless  called,  and  I  could  not  do 
this  office,  situated  as  I  was.  But,  I  was  mistaken. 
Instead  of  nit  icing  any  men  on  deck,  the  savages  pur- 
sued a  differenl  course.  Having  destroyed  the  cap- 
tain, they  closed  the  doors  of  the  companion-way, 
drew  over  the  booby-hatch,  and  adopted  the  safe  ex- 
pedient of  making  all  below  prisoners.  Tins  was  not 
done  altogether  without  noise,  and  the  alarm  was 
evidently  given  by  the  means  taken  to  secure  the  fas- 
tenings. I  heard  a  rush  at  the  cabin-doors,  which 
was  soon  followed  by  one  at  the  booby-hatch;  but 
Smudge's  Ingenuity  had  been  sufficient  to  prevent 
either  from  being  successful. 


19S  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

As  soon  as  certain  that  their  prisoners  were  safe, 
the  savages  came  and  loosened  the  ropes  of  my  arms 
sufficiently  to  put  me  more  at  my  ease.  They  remov- 
ed those  which  hound  my  feet  entirely,  and,  at  the 
same  instant,  the  gag  was  taken  from  my  mouth.  I 
was  then  led  to  the  companion-way,  and,  by  a  sign, 
given  to  understand  I  might  communicate  Avith  my 
friends  below.  In  the  management  of  all  this,  I  found 
that  Smudge,  the  semi-human,  dull,  animal-seeming 
Smudge,  was  at  the  head.  I  also  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion my  life  was  to  be  spared,  for  a  time  at  least,  and 
for  some  purpose  that,  as  yet,  baffled  my  conjectures. 
I  did  not  call  out  immediately,  but  waited  until  I 
heard  a  movement  on  the  ladder,  when  I  complied 
with  the  orders  of  my  captors  and  masters. 

"  Mr.  Marble,"  I  cried,  loud  enough  to  be  heard 
below  ;  "  is  that  you  ?" 

"  Ay,  ay — and  is  that  you,  Master  Miles  ?" 

"  This  is  I.  Be  cautious  how  you  act,  Mr.  Marble. 
The  savages  are  in  j)ossession  of  the  upper  deck,  and 
I  am  their  prisoner.  The  people  are  all  below,  with 
a  strong  watch  at  the  fore-scuttle." 

I  heard  a  long,  low  whistle,  within  the  companion- 
way  doors,  which  it  was  easy  enough  to  interpret  into 
an  expression  of  the  chief-mate1s  concern  and  wonder. 
For  myself,  I  saw  no  use  in  attempting  concealment, 
but  was  resolved  to  speak  out  fully,  even  though  it 
might  be  at  the  risk  of  betraying  some  of  my  feelings 
to  my  captors,  among  whom  I  thought  it  probable 
there  might  be  more  than  one  who  understood  some- 
thing of  English. 


STORIES   OF   THE   SEA.  199 

"We  miss  Captain  Williams  below  here,"  Marble 
resumed,  after  a  short  delay.  "  Do  you  know  any 
thing  of  his  movements  ?" 

"  Alas  !  Mr.  Marble — poor  Captain  Williams  can  be 
of  no  service  to  any  of  us,  now." 

"  What  of  him  ?"  was  demanded  in  a  clear,  full 
voice  and  as  quick  as  lightning.  "  Let  me  know, 
at  once." 

"  He  has  been  killed  by  a  blow  from  a  club,  and  is 
thrown  overboard." 

A  dead  silence  followed,  and  it  lasted  near  a 
minute. 

"  Then  it  has  fallen  to  my  duty  to  decide  what  is 
to  be  done!"  Marble  at  length  exclaimed.  "Miles, 
are  you  at  liberty  ? — dare  you  say  what  you  think  ?" 

"  I  am  held  here,  by  two  of  the  savages,  whose 
prisoner  I  certainly  am.  Still,  Mr.  Marble,  they  en- 
courage me  to  speak,  but  I  fear  some  among  them 
understand  what  we  say." 

There  was  another  pause,  during  which  the  mate 
was  doubtless  reflecting  on  the  best  course  to  pursue. 

"Harkee,  Mies,"1  Marble  continued,  "we  know 
each  other,  and  can  tell  what  is  meant  without  blab- 
bing.     How  old  are  you,  out  there,  on  deck." 

"Quite  thirty  years,  Mr.  Marble — and  good  stout 
years  they  are,  too." 

"Well  provided  for  with  sulphur  and  the  pills,  or 
only  with  Indian  tools,  such  as  our  boys  sometimes 
play    with?" 

"A  little  of  the  first — half-a-dozen,  perhaps;  with 
some  of  the  last,  and  a  plenty  of  carvers." 


200  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

An  impatient  push  from  the  Dipper  warned  me  to 
speak  plainer,  and  satisfied  me  that  the  fellow  could 
comprehend  what  passed,  so  long  as  we  confined  our- 
selves to  a  straightforward  discourse.  This  discov- 
ery had  the  effect  to  put  me  still  more  on  my  guard. 

"  I  understand  you,  Miles,"  Marble  answered,  in  a 
thoughtful  manner  ;  "  we  must  be  on  our  guard.  Do 
you  think  they  mean  to  come  below  ?" 

"  I  see  no  signs  at  present — but  understanding — " 
emphasizing  the  word,  "is  more  general  than  you 
imagine,  and  no  secrets  must  be  told.  My  advice  is 
"  Millions  for  defence,  and  not  a  cent  for  tribute.'  " 

As  this  last  expression  was  common  in  the  mouths 
of  the  Americans  of  the  day,  having  been  used  on 
the  occasion  of  the  existing  war  with  France,  I  felt 
confident  it  would  be  understood.  Marble  made  no 
answer,  and  I  was  permitted  to  move  from  the  com- 
panion-way, and  to  take  a  seat  on  the  hen-coops.  My 
situation  was  sufficiently  remarkable.  It  was  still 
dark  ;  but  enough  light  fell  from  the  stars  to  permit 
me  to  see  all  the  swarthy  and  savage  forms  that  were 
gliding  about  the  decks,  and  even  to  observe  some- 
thing of  the  expression  of  the  countenances  of  those, 
who,  from  time  to  time,  came  near  to  stare  me  in 
the  fiice.  The  last  seemed  ferociously  disposed;  but 
it  was  evident  that  a  master-spirit  held  all  these 
wild  beings  in  strict  subjection ;  quelling  the  turbu- 
lence of  their  humors,  restraining  their  fierce  dis- 
position to  violence,  and  giving  concert  and  design 
to  all  their  proceedings.  This  master-spirit  was 
Smudge !     Of  the  fact,  I  could  not  doubt ;  his  ges- 


STOEIES    OF   THE    SEA.  201 

tures,  his  voice,  his  commands,  giving  movement  and 
method  to  every  thing  that  was  done.  I  observed 
that  he  spoke  with  authority  and  confidence,  though 
he  spoke  calmly.  He  was  obeyed,  without  any  partic- 
ular marks  of  deference,  but  he  was  obeyed  implicitly. 
I  could  also  see  that  the  savages  considered  them- 
selves as  conquerors  ;  caring  very  little  for  the  men 
under  hatches. 

Nothing  material  occurred  until  day  dawned. 
Smudge — for  so  I  must  continue  to  call  this  revolt- 
ing-looking chief,  for  want  of  his  true  name — would 
permit  nothing  to  be  attempted,  until  the  light  be- 
came sufficiently  strong  to  enable  him  to  note  the 
proceedings  of  his  followers.  I  subsequently  ascer- 
tained, too,  that  he  waited  for  reinforcements,  a  yell 
being  raised  in  the  ship,  just  as  the  sun  appeared, 
which  was  answered  from  the  forest.  The  last  seem- 
ed fairly  alive  with  savages;  nor  was  it  long  before 
canoes  issued  from  the  creek,  and  I  counted  one  hun- 
dred and  seven  of  these  wretches  on  board  the  ship. 
This  was  their  whole  force,  however,  no  more  ever 
appearing. 

All  this  time,  or,  for  three  hours,  I  had  no  more 
communication  with  our  own  people.  I  was  certain, 
however,  that  they  were  all  together,  a  junction  be- 
ing easy  enough,  by  means  of  the  middle-deck,  which 

had  no  other  cargo  than  the  light  articles  intended 
for  the  north-wesl  trade,  and  by  knocking  down  the 
forecastle  bulk-head.  There  was  a  sliding  board  in 
the  last,  indeed,  that  would  admit  of  one  man's  passing 
at  a  time,  without   having  recourse  to  this  last  expe- 


202  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

client.  I  entertained,  no  doubt  Marble  bad  collected 
all  bands  below;  and,  being  in  possession  of  plenty 
of  arms,  tbe  men  having  carried  the  muskets  and 
pistols  below  with  them,  with  all  the  ammunition, 
he  was  still  extremely  formidable.  What  course  he 
would  pursue,  I  was  obliged  to  conjecture.  A  sortie 
would  have  been  very  hazardous,  if  practicable  at  all; 
and  if  was  scarcely  practicable,  after  the  means  taken 
by  Smudge  and  the  Dipper  to  secure  the  passages. 
Every  thing,  so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  was  left  to 
conjecture. 

The  manner  in  which  my  captors  treated  me,  ex- 
cited my  surprise.  As  soon  as  it  was  light,  my  limbs 
were  released,  and  I  was  permitted  to  walk  up  and 
down  the  quarter-deck,  to  restore  the  circulation  of 
the  blood.  A  clot  of  blood,  with  some  fragments 
of  hair,  marked  the  spot  where  poor  Captain  Wil- 
liams had  fallen  ;  and  I  was  allowed  to  dash  a  bucket 
of  water  over  the  place,  in  order  to  wash  away  the 
revolting  signs  of  the  murder.  For  myself,  a  strange 
recklessness  had  taken,  the  place  of  concern,  and  I  be- 
came momentarily  indifferent  to  my  fate.  I  expected 
to  die,  and  I  am  now  ashamed  to  confess  that  my 
feelings  took  a  direction  toward  revenge,  rather  than 
toward  penitence  for  my  past  sins.  At  times,  I  even 
envied  Marble,  and  those  below,  who  might  destroy 
their  enemies  at  a  swoop,  by  throwing  a  match  into 
the  magazine.  I  felt  persuaded,  indeed,  it  would 
come  to  that  before  the  mate  and  men  would  submit 
to  be  the  captives  of  such  wretches  as  were  then  in 
possession  of  the  deck.     Smudge  and  his  associates, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  203 

however,  appeared  to  be  perfectly  indifferent  to  this 
danger,  of  the  character  of  which  they  were  probably 
ignorant.  Their  scheme  had  been  very  cunningly 
laid ;  and,  thus  far,  it  was  perfectly  successful. 

The  sun  was  fairly  up,  and  the  savages  began  to 
think  seriously  of  securing  their  prize,  when  the  two 
leaders,  Smudge  and  the  Dipper,  approached  me  in  a 
manner  to  show  they  were  on  the  point  of  commenc- 
ing operations.  The  last  of  these  men  I  now  discov- 
ered had  a  trifling  knowledge  of  English,  which  he 
had  obtained  from  different  ships.  Still  he  was  a 
savage,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  little  informa- 
tion thus  gleaned  serving  to  render  his  worst  propen- 
sities more  dangerous,  rather  than,  in  any  manner 
tempering  them.  He  now  took  the  lead,  parading 
all  his  men  in  two  lines  on  the  deck,  making  a  signifi- 
cant gesture  toward  his  fingers,  and  uttering  with 
emphasis  the  word,  "  count."  I  did  count  the 
wretches,  making,  this  time,  one  hundred  and  six, 
exclusively  of  the  two  leaders. 

"Tell  him,  down  there,"  growled  the  Dipper, 
pointing  below. 

I  called  for  Mr.  Marble,  and  when  he  had  reached 
the  companion-way,  the  following  conversation  took 
place  between  us: 

"What  is  it  now,  Miles,  my  hearty ?"  demanded 
the  chief-mate. 

"I  :ini  ordered  to  tell  you,  sir,  that  the  Indians 
number  one  hundred  mid  eight,  having  just  counted 
them,  for  this  purpose." 

"I  wish  there  were  a  thousand,  as  we  are  about 


20i  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

to  lift  the  deck  from  the  ship,  and  send  them  all  into 
the  air.  Do  you  think  they  can  understand  what  I 
say,  Miles  ?" 

"  The  Dipper  does,  sir,  when  you  speak  slow  and 
plain.  lie  has  only  half  a  notion  of  what  you  now 
mean,  as  I  can  see  by  his  countenance. 

"  Does  the  rascal  hear  me  now  ? — is  he  anywhere 
near  the  companion-way?" 

"  He  does,  and  is — he  is  standing-,  at  this  moment, 
on  the  larboard  side  of  the  companion-way,  kneeling 
one  knee  on  the  forward  end  of  the  hen-coop." 

"Miles," — said  Marble,  in  a  doubting  sort  of  a  voice. 

Mr.  Marble — "  I  hear  what  you  say." 

"  Suppose — eh — lead  through  the  companion-way 
— eh — what  would  happen  to  you?" 

"  I  should  care  little  for  that,  sir,  as  I've  made  up 
my  mind  to  be  murdered.  But  it  would  do  no  good 
just  now,  and  might  do  harm.  I  will  tell  them,  how- 
ever, of  your  intention  to  blow  them  up,  if  you 
please  :  perhaps  that  may  make  them  a  little  shy." 

Marble  assented,  and  I  set  about  the  office,  as  well 
as  I  could.  Most  of  my  communication  had  to  be 
made  by  means  of  signs  ;  but,  in  the  end,  I  succeeded 
in  making  the  Dipper  understand  my  meaning.  By 
this  man  the  purpart  was^  told  to  Smudge,  in  terms. 
The  old  man  listened  with  grave  attention,  but  the 
idea  of  being  blown  up  produced  no  more  effect  on 
him,  than  would  have  been  produced  by  a  message 
from  home  to  tell  him  that  his  chimney  was  on  fire, 
supposing  him  to  have  possessed  such  a  civilized  in- 
strument of  comfort.     That  he  fully  comprehended 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  205 

his  friend,  I  could  see  by  the  expression  of  his  ou- 
rangr-outansr-lookingj  countenance.  But  fear  was  a 
passion  that  troubled  him  very  little;  and,  sooth  to 
say,  a  man  whose  time  was  passed  in  a  condition  as 
miserable  as  that  in  which  he  habitually  dwelt,  had 
no  great  reason  to  set  a  very  high  value  on  his  life. 

I  was  astonished  at  seeing  the  intelligence  that 
gleamed  in  the  baboon-like  face  of  Smudge,  as  he  lis- 
tened to  his  friend's  words.  Incredulity  was  the  in- 
tellectual meaning  in  his  eye,  while  indifference  seem- 
ed seated  in  his  whole  visage. 

It  was  evident  the  threat  had  made  no  impression, 
and  I  managed  to  let  Marble  understand  as  much,  and 
that  in  terms  which  the  Dipper  could  not  very  well 
comprehend.  I  got  no  answer,  a  death-like  stillness 
reigning  below  decks,  in  lieu  of  the  bustle  that  had 
so  lately  been  heard  there.  Smudge  seemed  struck 
with  the  change,  and  I  observed  he  was  giving  or- 
ders to  two  or  three  of  the  elder  savages,  apparently 
to  direct  a  greater  degree  of  watchfulness.  I  confess 
to  some  uneasiness  myself,  for  expectation  is  an  un- 
pleasant guest,  in  a  scene  like  that,  and  more  espe- 
cially when  accompanied  by  uncertainty. 

Smudge  now  seemed  to  think  it  time  to  commence 
his  operations  in  earnest.  Under  the  direction  of  the 
Dipper,  a  quantity  of  line  was  thrown  into  the  yawl, 
studding-halyards,  and  such  other  rope  of  convenient 
sixe  as  could  be  found  in  the  launch,  and  the  boat 
was  towed  by  two  or  three  canoes  to  the  island.  Here 
the  fellows  made  whal  seamen  call  a  "  guess-warp," 
of  their  rope;    fastening  one  end  to  a  tree,  and    pay- 


206  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

ing  out  line  as  the  yawl  was  towed  hack  again  to  the 
ship.  The  Dipper's  calculation  proved  to  he  suffi- 
ciently accurate,  the  rope  reaching  from  the  vessel 
to  the  tree. 

As  soon  as  this  feat  was  accomplished,  and  it  was 
done  with  sufficient  readiness,  though  somewhat 
luhherly,  twenty  or  thirty  of  the  savages  clapped  on 
the  warp,  until  they  had  tautened  it  to  as  great  a 
strain  as  it  would  hear.  After  this  they  ceased  pull- 
ing, and  I  observed  a  search  around  the  galley  in 
quest  of  the  cook's  axe,  evidently  with  a  design  to 
cut  the  cables.  I  thought  this  a  fact  worth  commu- 
nicating to  Marble,  and  I  resolved  to  do  so  at  the  risk 
of  my  life. 

"  The  Indians  havre  run  a  line  to  the  island,  and  are 
about  to  cut  the  cables,  no  doubt  intending  to  warp 
the  ship  ashore ;  and  that,  too,  at  the  very  spot  where 
they  once  had  the  Sea-Otter." 

"  Ay,  ay — let  them  go  on;  we'll  be  ready  for  them 
in  time,"  was  the  only  answer  I  received. 

I  never  knew  whether  to  ascribe  the  apathy  the 
savages  manifested  to  this  communication,  to  a  wish 
that  the  fact  might  be  known  to  the  people  below,  or 
to  indifference.  They  certainly  proceeded  in  their 
movements  with  just  as  much  coolness  as  if  they  had 
the  ship  all  to  themselves.  They  had  six  or  eight 
canoes,  and  parlies  of  them  began  to  move  round  the 
vessel,  with  precisely  the  same  confidence  as  men 
would  do  it  in  a  friendly  port.  What  most  surprised 
me  were  the  quiet  and  submission  to  orders  they 
observed.    At  length  the  axe  was  found  secreted  in 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  207 

the  bows  of  the  launch,  and  Marble  was  apprised  of 
the  use  to  which  it  was  immediately  applied,  by  the 
heavy  blows  that  fell  upon  the  cables. 

"Miles,"  said  the  chief-mate — "these  blows  go  to 
my  heart !     Are  the  blackguards  really  in  earnest  ?" 

"  The  larboard  bower  is  gone,  sir,  and  the  blows 
you  now  hear  are  on  the  starboard,  which  is  already 
half  in  two — that  finishes  it ;  the  ship  now  hangs  only 
by  the  warp." 

"  Is  there  any  wind,  boy  ?" 

"  Not  a  breath  of  it  in  the  bay,  though  I  can  see  a 
little  ripple  on  the  water,  outside." 

"  Is  it  rising  or  falling  water,  Miles?" 

"The  ebb  is  nearly  done — they'll  never  be  able  to 
get  the  ship  up  on  the  shelving  rock  where  they  had 
the  Sea-Otter,  until  the  water  rises  ten  or  twelve  feet." 

"  Thank  God  for  that !  I  was  afraid  they  might  get 
her  on  that  accursed  bed,  and  break  her  back  at  once." 

"  Is  it  of  any  importance  to  us,  Mr.  Marble?  What 
hope  can  we  have  of  doing  any  thing  against  such 
odds,  and  in  our  circumstances?" 

"The  odds  I  care  nothing  for,  boy.  My  lads  are 
screwed  up  so  tight,  they'd  lick  the  whole  north- 
wot  coast,  if  they  could  only  get  on  deck  without 
having  their  fashion-pieces  stove  in.  The  circum- 
stances, I  allow,  nnisi  counl  for  a  great  deal." 

"The  ship  is  moving  fast  toward  the  island — I  sec 
no  hope  for  us,  Mr.  .Marble!" 

"  I  say,  Miles,  it  is  worth  sonic  risk  to  try  and  save 
the  craft — were  it  not  for  fear  of  you,  I  would  have 
played  the  rascals  a  trick  hall' an  hour  since." 


208  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"  Never  mind  me,  sir — it  was  my  fault  it  has  hap- 
pened, and  I  ought  to  suffer  for  it — do  what  duty  and 
discretion  tell  you  is  best." 

I  waited  a  minute  after  this,  in  intense  expectation, 
not  knowing  what  was  to  follow,  when  a  report  made 
me  fancy  for  an  instant  some  attempt  was  making  to 
blow  up  the  deck.  The  wails  and  cries  that  suc- 
ceeded, however,  soon  let  me  into  the  real  state  of 
the  case.  A  volley  of  muskets  had  been  fired  from 
the  cabin-windows,  and  every  individual  in  two 
canoes  that  were  passing  at  the  time,  to  the  number 
of  eleven  were  shot  down  like  bullocks.  Three  were 
killed  dead,  and  the  remainder  received  wounds  that 
promised  to  be  mortal.  My  life  would  have  been  the 
instant  sacrifice  of  this  act,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
stern  authority  of  Smudge,  who  ordered  my  assail- 
ants off,  with  a  manner  and  tone  that  produced  im- 
mediate compliance.  It  was  clear  I  was  reserved  for 
some  peculiar  fate. 

Every  man  who  could,  rushed  into  the  remaining 
canoes  and  the  ship's  yawl,  in  order  to  pick  up  the 
killed  and  wounded,  as  soon  as  the  nature  of  the  ca- 
lamity was  known.  I  watched  them  from  the  taffrail, 
and  soon  ascertained  that  Marble  was  doing  the  same 
from  the  windows  below  me.  But  the  savages  did 
not  dare  to  venture  in  a  line  with  a  fire  that  had 
proved  so  fatal,  and  were  compelled  to  wait  until  the 
ship  had  moved  sufficiently  ahead  to  enable  them  to 
succor  their  friends,  without  exposing  their  own 
lives.  As  this  required  some  distance,  as  well  as 
time,  the  ship  was  not  only  left  without  a  canoe,  or 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  209 

boat  of  any  sort,  in  the  water,  but  with  only  half  her 
assailants  on  board  of  her.  Those  who  did  remain, 
for  want  of  means  to  attack  any  other  enemy,  vented 
their  spite  on  the  ship,  expending  all  their  strength 
in  frantic  efforts  on  the  warp.  The  result  was,  that 
while  they  gave  great  way  to  the  vessel,  they  finally 
broke  the  line. 

I  was  leaning  on  the  wheel,  with  Smudge  near  me, 
when  this  accident  occurred.  The  tide  was  still  run- 
ning ebb,  and  with  some  strength  ;  and  the  ship  was 
just  entering  the  narrow  passage  between  the  island 
and  the  point  that  formed  one  termination  of  the  bay, 
heading,  of  course,  toward  the  tree  to  which  the 
warp  had  been  secured.  It  was  an  impulsive  feeling, 
rather  than  any  reason,  that  made  me  give  the  vessel 
a  sheer  with  the  helm,  so  as  to  send  her  directly 
through  the  passage,  instead  of  letting  her  strike  the 
rocks.  I  had  no  eventual  hope  in  so  doing,  nor  any 
Other  motive  than  the  strong  reluctance  I  i'elt  to  have 
the  good  craft  hil  the  bottom.  Luckily,  the  Dipper 
was  in  the  canoes,  and  it  was  not  an  easy  matter  to 
follow  the  ship,  under  the  tire  from  her  cabin-win- 
dows, had  he  understood  the  case,  and  been  disposed 
to  d<>  so.  But,  like  all  the  rest  in  the  canoes,  he  was 
busy  with  his  wounded  friends,  who  were  all  carried 
off  toward  the  creek.  This  left  me  master  of  the 
ship's  movements  for  five  minutes,  and  by  that  time 
she  had  drawn  through  the  passage,  and  was  actually 
shooting  out  into  the  open  ocean. 

This  was  a  novel,  and  in  some  respects  an  embar- 
rassing situation.  It  left  a  gleam  of  hope,  but  it  was 
•  14 


210  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

a  hope  without  a  direction,  and  almost  without  an 
object.  I  could  perceive  that  none  of  the  savages  on 
board  had  any  knowledge  of  the  cause  of  our  move- 
ment, unless  they  might  understand  the  action  of  the 
tide.  They  had  expected  the  ship  to  be  run  ashore  at 
the  tree  ;  and  here  she  was  gliding  into  the  ocean,  and 
was  already  clear  of  the  passage.  The  effect  was  to 
produce  a  panic,  and  fully  one-half  of  those  who  had 
remained  in  the  ship  jumped  overboard  and  began  to 
swim  for  the  island.  I  was  momentarily  in  hope  all 
would  take  this  course  ;  but  quite  five  an d-t went  y  re- 
mained, more  from  necessity  than  choice,  as  I  after- 
ward discovered,  for  they  did  not  know  how  to  swim. 
Of  this  number  was  Smudge,  who  probably  still 
remained  to  secure  his  conquest. 

It  struck  me  the  moment  was  favorable,  and  I  went 
to  the  campanion-way,  and  was  about  to  remove  its 
fastenings,  thinking  the  ship  might  be  recovered  dur- 
ing the  prevalence  of  the  panic.  But  a  severe  blow, 
and  a  knife  gleaming  in  the  hands  of  Smudge,  admon- 
ished me  of  the  necessity  of  greater  caution.  The 
affair  was  not  yet  ended,  nor  was  my  captor  a  man 
as  easily  disconcerted  as  I  had  incautiously  supposed. 
Unpromising  as  he  seemed,  this  fellow  had  a  spirit 
that  fitted  him  for  great  achievements,  and  which, 
under  other  circumstances,  might  have  made  him  a 
hero.  He  taught  me  the  useful  lesson  of  not  judging 
of  men  merely  by  their  exteriors. 

The  ship  did  not  lose  her  steerage-way.  As  soon 
as  past  the  point  of  the  island,  a  gentle  southerly 
breeze  was  felt ;   and,  acting  on  the  spars  and  hull, 


STOEJES    OF    THE    SEA.  211 

it  enabled  me,  by  putting  the  helm  a  little  up,  to  keep 
her  head  off  shore,  and  thus  increase  her  distance 
from  the  bay.  The  set  of  the  tide  did  more  for  her 
than  the  wind,  it  is  true;  but  the  two,  acting  in  uni- 
son, carried  her  away  from  the  coast  at  a  rate  that 
nearly  equalled  two  knots  in  the  hour.  This  was 
slow  moving,  certainly,  for  a  vessel  in  such  a  strait ; 
but  it  would  require  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  for  the 
canoes  to  return  from  the  creek,  and  make  the  circuit 
of  the  island  by  the  other  channel.  By  that  time  we 
should  be  near  half  a  mile  at  sea. 

Smudge,  beyond  a  question,  understood  that  he 
was  in  a  dilemma,  though  totally  ignorant  of  some  ot 
the  leading  difficulties  of  his  case.  It  was  plain  to 
me  he  could  not  comprehend  why  the  ship  took  the 
direction  of  the  oiling,  for  he  had  no  conception  of 
th<'  power  of  the  rudder.  Our  tiller  worked  below, 
am!  it  is  possible  this  circumstance  mystified  him  ; 
more  small  vessels  in  that  day  managing  their  helms 
without  the  aid  of  the  wheel,  than  with  it.  At  length 
tin-  movement  of  the  vessel  became  too  palpable  to 
admit  of  further  delay;  and  this  savage  approached 
me,  with  a  drawn  knife,  and  a  manner  that  proved  nat- 
ural affection  had  not  been  the  motive  of  his  previous 
moderation.  After  nourishing  his  weapon  fiercely 
before  my  eyes,  and  pressing  it  most    significantly, 

once  or  twice,  against  my  breast,  he  made  signs  for 
me  to  cause  the  ship  to  turn  round  and  re-enter  the 
port.  I  thought  my  last  moment  had  come,  but  nat- 
urally enough  pointed  to  the  spars,  giving  my  master 
to  understand  that  the  vessel  was -not  in  her  usual 


212  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

trim.  I  believe  I  was  understood  as  to  this  part  of 
my  excuses,  it  being  too  apparent  that  our  masts  and 
yards  were  not  in  their  usual  places,  for  the  fact  to 
be  overlooked  even  by  a  savage.  Smudge,  however, 
saw  that  several  of  the  sails  were  bent,  and  he  pointed 
to  those,  growling  out  his  threats,  should  I  refuse  to 
set  them.  The  spanker,  in  particular,  being  near 
him,  he  took  hold  of  it,  shook  it,  and  ordered  me  to 
loosen  it  forthwith. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  I  obeyed  this  order 
with  secret  joy.  Casting  loose  the  brails,  I  put  the 
out-hauler  in  the  hands  of  a  dozen  of  the  savages, 
and  set  the  example  of  pulling.  In  a  minute  we  had 
this  sail  spread,  with  the  sheet  a  little  eased  oif.  I 
then  led  a  party  forward,  and  got  the  fore  and  main 
stay-sails  on  the  ship.  To  these  were  added  the  miz- 
en  stay-sail,  the  only  other  piece  of  canvas  we  could 
show,  until  the  topmasts  were  fidded.  The  effect  of 
these  four  sails,  however,  was  to  add  at  least  another 
knot  to  the  Avay  of  the  ship,  and  to  carry  her  out 
sooner  to  a  point  where  she  felt  the  full  force  of  the 
light  breeze  that  was  blowing  from  the  south-east. 
By  the  time  the  four  sails  were  set,  we  were  fully  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  island,  every  instant  get- 
ting more  fairly  into  the  true  currents  of  the  air. 

Smudge  watched  me  with  the  eyes  of  a  hawk.  As 
I  had  obeyed  his  own  orders  in  making  sail,  he  could 
not  complain  of  that ;  but  the  result  evidently  disap- 
pointed him.  He  saw  we  were  still  moving  in  the 
wrong  direction,  and,  as  yet,  not  a  canoe  was  visible. 
As  for  these  last,  now  the  vessel  had  way  on  her,  I 


STOEIES   OF   THE   SEA.  213 

was  not  without  hopes  of  being  able  to  keep  them 
exposed  to  the  fire  from  the  cabin-windows,  and,  fin- 
ally, of  getting  rid  of  them  by  drawing  off  the  land 
to  a  distance  they  would  not  be  likely  to  follow.  The 
Dipper,  however,  I  was  aware,  was  a  bold  fellow — 
knew  something  of  vessels — and  I  was  determined  to 
give  a  hint  to  Marble  to  pick  him  off,  should  he  come 
within  range  of  his  muskets. 

In  tliemean  time  the  alarm  and  impatience  of  Smudge 
and  his  companions,  very  sensibly  increased.  Five 
minutes  were  an  acre  in  the  circumstances  in  which 
they  were  placed,  and  I  saw  that  it  would  soon  be 
necessary  to  adopt  some  new  expedient,  or  I  might 
expect  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  resentment  of  these 
savages.  Necessity  sharpens  the  wits,  and  I  hit  upon 
a  scheme  which  was  not  entirely  without  the  merit  of 
ingenuity.  As  it  was,  I  suppose  I  owed  my  life  to 
the  consciousness  of  the  savages,  that  they  coidd  do 
notliing  without  me. 

Smudge,  with  three  or  four  of  the  fiercest  of  his 
companions,  bad  begun  again  to  menace  me  with  the 
knife,  making  signs,  at  the  same  time,  for  me  to  turn 
the  ship's  head  toward  the  land.  I  asked  for  a  little 
ro<  .in,  and  then  describing  a  long  circle  on  the  deck, 
pointing  to  the  four  sails  we  had  set,  and  this  in  a 
way  to  tell  them  that  under  the  canvas  we  carried, 
it  would  be  necessary  to  go  a  great  distance  in  order 
to  turn  round.  When  I  had  succeeded  in  communi- 
cating this  idea,  T  forthwith  set  about  giving  them  to 
understand  that  by  getting  up  the  top-masts,  and 
making   more    sail,  we   might   return   immediately. 


214  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

The  savages  understood  me,  and  the  explanation  ap- 
pearing reasonable  to  them,  they  went  aside  and  con- 
sulted together.  As  time  pressed,  it  was  not  long 
before  Smudge  came  to  me  with  signs  to  show  him 
and  his  party  how  to  get  the  remainder  of  the  sails 
set.  Of  course,  I  was  not  backward  in  giving  the  de- 
sired information. 

In  a  few  minutes,  I  had  a  string  of  the  savages 
hold  of  the  mast-rope,  forward,  a  luff-tackle  being 
applied.  As  every  thing  was  ready  aloft,  all  we  had 
to  do  was  to  pull,  until,  judging  by  the  eye,  I  thought 
the  spar  was  high  enough,  when  I  ran  up  the  rig- 
ging and  clapped  in  the  fid.  Having  the  topmast 
out  of  the  way,  without  touching  any  of  its  rigging, 
I  went  down  on  the  fore-yard,  and  loosened  the  sail. 
This  appeared  so  much  like  business,  that  the  savages 
gave  sundry  exclamations  of  delight ;  and,  by  the 
time  I  got  on  deck,  they  were  all  ready  to  applaud 
me  as  a  good  fellow.  Even  Smudge  was  complete- 
ly mystified ;  and  when  I  set  the  others  at  work  at 
the  jeer-fall  to  sway  up  the  fore-yard,  he  was. as  ac- 
tive as  any  of  them.  We  soon  had  the  yard  in  its 
place,  and  I  went  aloft  to  secure  it,  touching  the 
braces  first  so  as  to  fill  the  sail. 

The  reader  may  rest  assured  I  did  not  hurry  my- 
self, now  I  had  things  in  so  fair  a  way.  I  could 
perceive  that  my  power  and  importance  increased 
with  every  foot  we  went  from  the  land ;  and  the  ship 
steering  herself  under  such  canvas,  the  wheel  being 
a  trifle  up,  there  was  no  occasion  for  extraordinary 
exertion  on  my  part.     I  determined  now  to  stay  aloft 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 


215 


as  long  as  possible.  The  yard  was  soon  secured, 
and  then  I  went  up  into  the  top,  where  I  began  to 
set  up  the  weather-rigging.  Of  course,  nothing  was 
very  thoroughly  done,  though  sufficiently  so  for  the 
weather  we  had. 

From  the  top  I  had  a  good  view  of  the  offing,  and 
of  the  coast  for  leagues.  We  were  now  quite  a  mile 
at  sea,  and,  though  the  tide  was  no  longer  of  any 
use  to  ns,  we  were  drawing  through  the  water  quite 
at  the  rate  of  two  knots.  I  thought  that  the  flood 
had  made,  and  that  it  took  us  a  little  on  our  lee-bow, 
hawsing  us  up  to  windward.  Just  as  I  had  got  the 
last  lanyard  fastened,  the.  canoes  began  to  appear, 
coining  round  the  island  by  the  farther  passage,  and 
promising  to  overtake  us  in  the  course  of  the  next 
twenty  minutes.  The  crisis  demanded  decision,  and 
I  determined  to  get  the  jib  on  the  ship.  Accordingly, 
I  was  soon  on  deck. 

Having  so  much  the  confidence  of  the  savnges, 
who  now  fancied  their  return  depended  on  me,  I 
soon  had  them  at  work,  and  we  had  the  stay  set  up 
in  two  or  three  minutes.  I  then  ran  out  and  cast 
off  tin-  gaskets,  when  my  boys  began  to  hoist  at  a 
signal  from  mo.  I  have  seldom  been  so  happy  as' 
when  I  s:iw  that  large  sheet  of  canvas  open  to  the 
air.  The  sheet  was  hauled  in  and  belayed  as  fast  as 
possible,  and  then  it  struck  me  I  should  not  have 
time  to  do  any  more  before  the  canoes  would  over- 
take us.  It  was  my  wish  to  communicate  with  .Mar- 
ble. While  passing  aft,  to  effect  this  object,  I  paused 
a  moment  to  examine  the  movement  of  the  cano«s ; 


216  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

old  Smudge,  the  whole  time,  expressing  his  impa- 
tience that  the  ship  did  not  turn  round.  I  make  no 
doubt  I  should  have  been  murdered  a  dozen  times, 
had  I  lives  enough,  were  it  not  that  the  savages 
felt  how  dependent  they  were  on  me,  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  vessel.  I  began  to  see  my  importance, 
and  grew  bold  in  proportion. 

As  for  the  canoes,  I  took  a  look  at  them  through 
a  glass.  They  were  about  half  a  mile  distant ;  had 
ceased  paddling,  and  were  lying  close  together,  seem- 
ingly in  consultation.  I  fancied  the  appearance  of 
the  ship,  under  canvas,  had  alarmed  them,  and  that 
they  began  to  think  we  had  regained  the  vessel,  and 
were  getting  her  in  sailing  condition  again,  and  that 
it  might  not  be  prudent  to  come  too  near.  Could 
I  confirm  this  impression,  a  great  point  would  be 
gained.  Under  the  pretence  of  making  more  sail,  in 
order  to  get  the  ship's  head  round,  a  difficulty  I 
had  to  explain  to  Smudge  by  means  of  signs  some 
six  or  eight  times,  I  placed  the  savages  at  the  main- 
topmast  mast-rope,  and  told  them  to  drag.  This 
was  a  task  likely  to  keep  them  occupied,  and  what 
was  more,  it  kept  them  all  looking  forward,  leaving 
me  affecting  to  be  busied  aft.  I  had  given  Smudge 
a  segar  too,  to  put  him  in  good  humor,  and  I  had 
also  taken  the  liberty  to  light  one  for  myself. 

Our  guns  had  all  been  primed,  levelled,  and  had 
their  tompions  taken  out  the  night  before,  in  readi- 
ness to  repel  any  assault  that  might  be  made.  I 
had  only  to  remove  the  apron  from  the  after-gun, 
and  it  was  ready  to  be   discharged.     Going  to  the 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  217 

wheel,  I  put  the  helm  hard  up,  until  our  broadside 
bore  on  the  canoes.  Then  glancing  along  my  gun, 
until  I  saw  it  had  a  tolerable  range,  I  clapped  the  segar 
to  the  priming,  springing  back  to  the  wheel,  and  put- 
ting the  helm  down.  The  explosion  produced  a  gen- 
eral yell  among  the  savages,  several  of  whom  actually 
leaped  into  the  chains  ready  to  go  overjboard,  while 
Smudge  rushed  toward  me,  fiercely  brandishing  his 
knife.  I  thought  my  time  had  come !  but,  perceiving 
that  the  ship  was  luffing  fast,  I  motioned  eagerly  for- 
ward, to  draw  the  attention  of  my  assailant  in  that 
quarter.  The  vessel  was  coming-to,  and  Smudge  was 
easily  induced  to  believe  it  was  the  commencement 
of  turning  round.  The  breathing  time  allowed  me  to 
mystify  him  with  a  few  more  signs;  after  Avhich,  he 
rejoined  his  people,  shoAved  them  exultingly  the  ship 
still  luffing,  and  I  make  no  doubt,  he  thought  himself, 
and  induced  the  rest  to  think,  that  the  gun  had  a  ma- 
terial agency  in  producing  all  these  apparent  changes. 
As  for  the  canoes,  the  grape  had  whistled  so  near 
them,  that  they  began  to  paddle  hack,  doubtless  under 
the  impression  that  we  were  again  masters  of  the 
ship,  and  had  sent  them  this  hint  to  keep  aloof. 

Thus  far  T  had  succeeded  beyond  my  must  sanguine 

expectations;   and  I  began  to  entertain  lively  hopes 

of  not  only  saving  my  life,  but  of  recovering  the 
command  of  the  vessel.  Could  I  manage  to  get  her  out 
of  sight  of  land,  my  services  would  be  so  indispensa- 
ble, as  almost  to  insure  success.  The  coast  was  very 
low,  and  a  run  of  six  or  eight  hours  would  do  this, 
provided  the  vessel's  head  could  be  kept  in  the  right 


218  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

direction.  The  wind,  moreover,  was  freshening,  and 
I  judged  that  the  Crisis  had  already  four  knots'  way 
on  her.  Less  than  twenty  miles  would  put  all  the 
visible  coast  under  water.  But  it  was  time  to  say 
something  to  Marble.  With  a  view  to  lvdl  distrust, 
I  called  Smudge  to  the  companion-way,  in  order  that 
he  might  hear  what  passed,  though  I  felt  satisfied, 
now  that  the  Dipper  was  out  of  the  ship,  not  a  soul 
remained  among  the  savages  who  could  understand 
a  syllable  of  English,  or  knew  any  thing  of  vessels. 
The  first  call  brought  the  mate  to  the  door. 

"  Well,  Miles,  what  is  it  ?"  he  asked,  u  what  meant 
the  gun,  and  who  fired  it  ?" 

"All  right,  Mr.  Marble.  I  fired  the  gun  to  keep 
off  the  canoes,  and  it  has  had  the  effect  I  wished." 

"  Yes ;  my  head  was  out  of  the  cabin-window  at 
the  time,  for  I  believe  the  ship  was  wearing,  and 
thought  you  had  given  up,  and  were  going  back  into 
port.  I  saw  the  round  shot  strike  within  twenty  fath- 
oms of  the  canoes,  and  as  for  the  grape,  some  of  it 
flew  beyond  them.  Why,  we  are  more  than  half  a 
league  from  the  land,  boy !  Will  Smudge  stand  that 
much  longer  ?" 

I  then  told  Marble  precisely  how  we  were  situated 
on  deck,  the  sail  we  were  under,  the  number  of  sav- 
ages we  had  on  board,  and  the  notion  the  savages  en- 
tertained on  the  subject  of  turning  the  ship  round. 
It  is  not  easy  to  say  which  listened  with  the  most  at- 
tention, Marble  or  Smudge.  The  latter  made  fre- 
quent gestures  for  me  to  turn  the  ship  toward  the 
coast,  for   by  this  time   she  had  the  wind  abeam 


STORIES   OF   THE   SEA.  219 

again,  and  was  once  more  running  in  a  straight  line. 
It  was  necessary,  on  more  accounts  than  one,  to 
adopt  some  immediate  remedy  for  the  danger  that 
began  to  press  on  me  anew.  Not  only  must  Smudge 
and  his  associates  he  pacified,  but,  as  the  ship  got 
into  the  offing,  she  began  to  feel  the  ground-swell, 
and  her  spars,  aloft  were  any  thing  but  secure.  The 
main-topmast  was  about  half  up,  and  it  was  begin- 
ning to  surge  and  move  in  the  cap,  in  a  way  I  did 
not  like.  It  is  true,  there  was  not  much  danger  yet; 
but  the  wind  was  rising,  and  what  was  to  be  done 
ought  to  be  done  at  once.  I  was  not  sorry,  however, 
to  perceive  that  five  or  six  of  the  savages,  Smudge 
among  the  number,  began  to  betray  signs  of  sea-sick- 
ness. 

I  now  endeavored  to  make  Smudge  understand  the 
necessity  of  my  having  assistance  from  below,  both 
to  assist  in  turning  the  vessel  and  in  getting  the 
yards  and  masts  into  their  places.  The  old  fellow 
shook  his  head,  and  looked  grave  at  this.  I  saw  he 
Avas  not  sick  enough  yet  to  be  indifferent  about 
his  life.  After  a  time,  however,  he  pronounced  the 
names  of  Neb  and  Yo,  the  blacks  having  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  savages,  the  last  being  the  cook. 
I  understood  him,  he  would  Buffer  these  two  to  come 
to  my  assistance,  provided  it  could  be  done  without 
endangering  his  own  ascendency.  Three  unarmed 
men  could  hardly  he  dangerous  to  twenty-live  who 
were  armed  ;  and  then  I  suspected  that  he  fancied 
the  negroes  would  prove  allies  to  himself,  in  the 
event  of  a  struggle,  rather  than  foes.     As  for  Neb, 


220  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

lie  made  a  fatal  mistake ;  nor  was  he  much  nearer  the 
truth  in  regard  to  Joe — or  Yo,  as  he  called  him — the 
cook  feeling  quite  as  much  for  the  honor  of  the 
American  flag,  as  the  fairest-skinned  seaman  in  the 
country. 

I  found  means  to  make  Smudge  understand  the 
manner  in  which  these  two  blacks  could  be  got  on 
deck,  without  letting  up  the  rest.  As  soon  as  he 
fairly  comprehended  the  means  to  be  used,  he  cheer- 
fully acquiesced,  and  I  made  the  necessary  communi- 
cation to  Marble.  A  rope  was  sent  down,  over  the 
stern-boat,  to  the  cabin-windows,  and  Neb  took  a 
turn  round  his  body ;  when  he  was  hauled  up  to  the 
gunwale  of  the  boat,  into  which  he  was  dragged  by 
the  assistance  of  the  savages.  The  same  process  was 
used  with  Joe.  Before  the  negroes  were  permitted 
to  go  aloft,  however,  Smudge  made  them  a  brief 
oration,  in  which  oracular  sentences  were  blended 
with  significant  gestures,  and  indications  of  what 
they  were  to  expect  in  the  event  of  bad  behavior. 
After  this,  I  sent  the  blacks  into  the  main-top,  and 
glad  enough  I  thought  they  were  both  to  get  there. 

Thus  reinforced,  we  had  the  main-topmast  fidded 
in  a  very  few  minutes.  Neb  was  then  directed  to 
set  up  the  rigging,  and  to  clear  away  the  yard,  so  it 
might  be  got  into  its  place.  In  a  word,  an  hour 
passed  in  active  exertions,  at  the  end  of  which  we 
had  every  thing  rove,  bent,  and  in  its  place,  on  the 
main-mast,  from  the  top-mast  head  to  the  deck.  I 
ordered  the  men  to  loosen  both  sails,  and  to  overhaul 
down  their  rigging.     In  the  eyes  of  Smudge,  this 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  221 

looked  highly  promising;  and  the  savages  gave  a 
yell  of  delight  when  they  saw  the  top-sail  fairly  filled 
and  drawing.  I  added  the  main-sail  to  the  pressure, 
and  then  the  ship  began  to  walk  off  the  coast,  at  a 
rate  that  promised  all  I  hoped  for.  It  was  now  ne- 
cessary for  me  to  stick  by  the  wheel,  of  the  uses  of 
which  Smudge  began  to  obtain  some  notions.  At 
this  time,  the  vessel  was  more  than  two  leagues  from 
the  island,  and  objects  began  to  look  dim  along  the 
coast.  As  for  the  canoes,  they  could  no  longer  be 
seen,  and  chasing  us  any  farther  was  quite  out  of 
the  question.  I  felt  that  the  crisis  was  approaching. 
Smudge  and  his  companions  now  became  more  and 
more  earnest  on  the  subject  of  turning  the  ship 
round.  The  indistinctness  of  the  land  began  seri- 
ously to  alarm  them,  and  sea-sickness  had  actually 
placed  four  of  their  number  flat  on  the  deck.  I  could 
see  that  the  old  fellow  himself  was  a  good  deal  af- 
fected,  though  his  spirit,  and  the  risks  he  ran,  kept 
him  in  motion,  ami  vigilantly  on  the  watch.  It  was 
necessary  to  seem  t<>  do  something;  and  I  sent  the 
negroes  up  into  the  fore-top,  to  get  the  top-sail-yard 
in  its  place,  and  the  sail  set.  This  occupied  another 
hour,  before  we  were  entirely  through,  when  the 
land  was  getting  nearly  encash.  As  soon  as  the  miz- 
zen-top-sail  was  set,  I  braced  sharp  up,  and  brought 
the  ship  close  upon  the  wind.  This  caused  the  In- 
dians to  will  down,  like  flowers  under  a  burning  sun, 
just  as  1  expected;  there  being  by  this  time  a  seven- 
knot  breeze,  and  a  smart  head-sea  on.  Old  Smudge 
felt   that    his    forces  were    la>t,   deserting  him,  and  he 


222  STORIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

now  came  to  me  in  a  manner  that  would  not  be  de- 
nied, and  I  felt  the  necessity  of  doing  something  to 
appease  him.  I  got  the  savages  stationed  as  well  as 
I  could,  hauled  up  the  main-sail,  and  put  the  ship  in 
stays.  We  tacked  better  than  I  could  have  believed 
possible,  and  when  my  wild  captors  saw  that  we 
were  actually  moving  in  the  direction  of  the  land, 
again  their  delight  was  infinite.  Their  leader  was 
ready  to  hug  me ;  but  I  avoided  this  pleasure  in  the 
best  manner  I  could.  As  for  the  consequences,  I  had 
no  apprehensions,  knowing  we  were  too  far  off  to 
have  any  reason  to  dread  the  canoes,  and  being  cer- 
tain it  was  easy  enough  to  avoid  them  in  such  a 
breeze. 

Smudge  and  his  companions  were  less  on  the  alert, 
as  soon  as  they  perceived  the  ship  was  going  in  the 
proper  direction.  They  probably  believed  the  danger 
in  a  measure  over,  and  they  began  to  yield  a  little  to 
their  physical  sufferings.  I  called  Neb  to  the  wheel, 
and  leaning  over  the  taffrail,  I  succeeded  in  getting 
Marble  to  a  cabin-window,  without  alarming  Smudge. 
I  then  told  the  mate  to  get  all  his  forces  in  the  fore- 
castle, having  observed  that  the  Indians  avoided  that 
part  of  the  vessel,  on  account  of  the  heavy  plunges 
she  occasionally  made,  and  possibly  because  they  fan- 
cied our  people  were  all  aft.  As  soon  as  the  plan 
was  understood,  I  strolled  forward,  looking  up  at  the 
sails,  and  touching  a  rope,  here  and  there,  like  one 
bent  on  his  ordinary  duty.  The  savage  stationed 
at  the  fore-scuttle  was  as  sick  as  a  dog,  and  with 
streaming  eyes,  he  was  paying  the  landsman's  tribute 


STORIES   OF   THE    SEA.  223 

to  the  sea.  The  hatch  was  very  strong,  and  it  was 
secured  simply  by  its  hasp  and  by  a  bit  of  iron  thrust 
through  it.  I  had  only  to  slip  my  hand  down, 
remove  the  iron,  throw  open  the  hatch,  when  the 
ship's  company  streamed  up  on  deck,  Marble  lead- 
ing. 

It  was  not  a  moment  for  explanations.  I  saw  at  a 
glance  that  the  mate  and  his  followers  regarded  the 
situation  of  the  ship  very  differently  from  what  I  did 
myself.  I  had  now  been  hours  with  the  savages,  had 
attained  a  little  of  their  confidence,  and  knew  how 
dependent  they  were  on  myself  for  their  final  safety; 
all  of  which,  in  a  small  degree,  disposed  me  to  treat 
them  with  some  of  the  lenity  I  fancied  I  had  received 
from  them,  in  my  own  person.  But  Marble  and  the 
crew  had  been  chafing  below,  like  caged  lions,  the 
whole  time,  and,  as  I  afterward  learned,  had  actually 
taken  a  unanimous  vote  to  blow  themselves  up,  be- 
fore they  would  permit  the  Indians  to  retain  the  con- 
trol of  the  vessel.  Then  poor  Captain  "Williams  was 
much  beloved  forward,  and  his  death  remained  to  be 
avenged.  I  would  have  said  a  word  in  favor  of  my 
captors,  but  the  first  glance  I  got  at  the  flushed  face 
of  the  mate,  told  me  il  would  be  useless.  I  turned, 
therefore,  to  the  sick  savage  who  had  been  left  as  a 
sentinel  over  the  fore-scuttle,  to  prevent  his  inter- 
ference. This  man  was  armed  with  the  pistols  that 
had  been  taken  from  me,  and  he  showed  a  disposition 
to  use  them.  I  was  too  quick  in  my  motions,  how- 
ever, falling  upon  him  so  soon  as  to  prevent  one 
who  was  not  expert   with  the  weapons,  from  using 


224  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

them.  We  clenched,  and  fell  on  the  deck  together, 
the  Indian  letting  the  pistols  fall  to  meet  my 
grasp. 

As  this  occurred,  I  heard  the  cheers  of  the  seamen ; 
and  Marble,  shouting  out  to  "  revenge  Captain  Wil- 
liams," gave  the  order  to  charge.  I  soon  had  my  own 
fellow  perfectly  at  my  mercy,  and  got  him  so  near 
the  end  of  the  jib  down-haul,  as  to  secure  him  with  a 
turn  or  two  of  that  rope.  The  man  made  little  resist- 
ance, after  the  first  onset ;  and,  catching  up  the  pistols, 
I  left  him,  to  join  in  what  was  doing  aft.  As  I  lay 
on  the  deck,  I  heard  several  plunges  into  the  water, 
and  then  half-a-dozen  of  most  cruelly  crushing  blows 
succeeded.  Not  a  shot  was  fired  by  either  party, 
though  some  of  our  people,  who  had  carried  all  their 
arms  below  the  night  the  ship  was  seized,  used 
their  pikes  with  savage  freedom.  By  the  time  I  got 
as  far  aft  as  the  main-mast,  the  vessel  was  our  own. 
Nearly  half  the  Indians  had  thrown  themselves  into 
the  sea ;  the  remaining  dozen  had  been  knocked  in 
the  head  like  beeves.  The  dead  bodies  followed  the 
living  into  the  sea.  Old  Smudge  alone  remained,  at 
the  moment  of  which  I  have  spoken. 

The  leader  of  the  savages  was  examining  the  move- 
ments of  Neb,  at  the  moment  the  shout  was  raised  ; 
and  the  black,  abandoning  the  wheel,  threw  his  arms 
round  those  of  the  old  man,  holding  him  like  a  vice. 
In  this  situation  he  was  found  by  Marble  and  myself, 
Avho  approached  at  the  same  instant,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  quarter-deck. 

"Overboard  with  the  blackguard!"  called  out  the 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  225 

excited  mate ;  "  overboard  with  him.  Neb,  like  a 
trooper's  horse !" 

"  Hold — "  I  interrupted,  "  spare  the  old  wretch, 
Mr.  Marble ; — he  spared  me." 

A  request  from  me  would,  at  any  moment,  outweigh 
an  order  from  the  captain  himself,  so  far  as  the  black 
was  concerned,  else  Smudge  would  certainly  have  gone 
into  the  ocean,  like  a  bundle  of  straw.  Marble  had 
in  him  a  good  deal  of  the  indifference  to  bodily  suf- 
fering that  is  generated  by  habit,  and,  aroused,  he 
was  a  dangerous,  and  sometimes  a  hard  man  ;  but  in 
the  main,  he  was  not  cruel ;  and  then  lie  was  always 
manly.  In  the  short  struggle  which  he  had  passed, 
he  had  actually  dropped  his  pike,  to  knock  an  Indian 
down  witli  his  fist ;  bundling  the  fellow  through  a 
port  without  ceremony,  ere  he  had  time  to  help  him- 
self. But  he  disdained  striking  Smudge,  with  such 
odds  against  him;  and  he  went  to  the  helm  himself, 
bidding  Neb  secure  the  prisoner. 

Not  a  cheer  was  given  for  our  success.  When  all 
was  over,  the  men  stood  gazing  at  each  other,  stern, 
frowning,  and  yet  with  the  aspects  of  those  who  felt 
they  had  been,  in  a  manner,  disgraced  by  the  circum- 
stances which  led  them  to  the  necessity  of  thus  re- 
gaining the  command  of  their  own  vessel.  As  for 
myself,  I  ran  and  sprangupon  the  taffrail,  to  look  into 
the  ship's  wake.  A  painful  sight  met  me  there! 
During  the  minute  or  two  passed  in  the  brief  strug- 
gle, the  Crisis  had  gone  steadily  ahead,  like  the  earth 
moving  in  its  orbit,  indifferent  to  the  struggles  of 
the  nations  that  are  contending  on  its  bosom.  I 
15 


226  ST0KIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

could  see  heads  and  arms  tossing  in  our  track  for 
a  hundred  fathoms,  those  who  could  not  swim  strug- 
gling to  the  last  to  preserve  their  existence.  Marble, 
Smudge,  and  Neb,  were  all  looking  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, at  that  instant.  Under  an  impulse  I  could  not 
control,  I  ventured  to  suggest  that  we  might  yet  tack 
and  save  several  of  the  wretches. 

"  Let  them  drown,"  was  the  chief-mate's  senten- 
tious answer. 

"  No — no — Masser  Mile,"  Neb  ventured  to  add, 
with  a  remonstrating  shake  of  the  head — "  dat  will 
nebber  do — no  good  ebber  come  of  Injin.  If  you 
don't  drown  him,  he  sartain  drown  you." 

I  saw  it  was  idle  to  remonstrate  ;  and  by  this  time 
one  dark  spot,  after  another,  began  to  disappear,  as 
the  victims  sank  in  the  ocean.  There  was  too  much 
duty  to  be  done,  to  render  all  secure,  to  suffer  us  to 
waste  much  time  in  mere  sympathy.  All  the  topmast 
rigging,  backstays,  &c,  had  to  be  set  up  afresh,  and 
gangs  were  sent  about  this  duty,  forward  and  aft. 
The  blood  was  washed  from  the  decks,  and  a  portion 
of  the  crew  got  along  the  topgallant-masts,  and  point- 
ed them.  The  topsails  were  all  close-reefed,  the  courses 
hauled  up,  the  spanker  and  jib  taken  in,  and  the  ship 
hove  to.  It  wanted  but  two  hours  of  sxmset  when 
Mr.  Marble  had  got  things  to  his  mind.  We  had 
crossed  royal-yards,  and  had  every  thing  set  that 
would  draw,  from  the  trucks  down.  The  launch 
was  in  the  water  towing  astern  ;  the  ship  was  then 
about  a  mile  from  the  southern  passage  into  the  bay, 
toward  which  she  was  steering  with  the  wind  very 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  227 

much  as  it  had  been  since  an  hour  after  sunrise, 
though  slightly  falling.  Our  guns  were  loose,  and 
the  crew  was  at  quarters.  Even  I  did  not  know  what 
the  new  captain  intended  to  do,  for  he  had  given  his 
orders  in  the  manner  of  one  whose  mind  was  too  im- 
movably made  up,  to  admit  of  consultation.  The  lar- 
board battery  was  manned,  and  orders  had  been  given 
to  see  the  guns  on  that  side  levelled  and  ready  for 
firing.  As  the  ship  brushed  past  the  island,  in  enter- 
ing the  bay,  the  whole  of  this  broadside  was  delivered 
in  among  its  bushes  and  trees.  We  heard  a  feAV  yells, 
in  reply,  that  satisfied  us  the  grape  had  told,  and  that 
Marble  had  not  miscalculated  the  position  of  some  of 
his  enemies,  at  least. 

"When  the  ship  entered  the  little  bay,  it  was  with  a 
moderate  and  steady  movement,  the  breeze  being 
greatly  broken  by  the  forests.  The  main-yard  was 
thrown  aback,  and  I  was  ordered  into  the  launch,  with 
its  crew  armed.  A  swivel  was  in  the  bows  of  the 
boat,  and  I  pulled  into  the  creek,  in  order  to  ascertain 
if  there  were  any  signs  of  the  savages.  In  entering 
the  creek,  the  swivel  was  discharged,  according  to 
orders,  and  we  soon  detected  proofs  that  we  disturb- 
ed a  bivouac.  I  now  kept  loading  and  firing  this  little 
pieve  into  the  bushes,  supporting  it  with  occasional 
volleys  of  musketry,  until  pretty  well  satisfied  that 
we  had  swept  the  shore  effectually.  At  the  bivouac, 
I  found  the  canoes,  and  our  own  yawl,  and  what  was 
some  little  revenge  for  what  had  happened,  I  also  found 
a  pile  of  no  less  than  six  hundred  skins,  which  had 
doubtless  been  brought  to  trade  with  us,  if  necessary, 


228  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

in  order  to  blind  our  eyes  until  the  favorable  moment 
for  the  execution  of  the  conspiracy  should  offer.  I 
made  no  scruple  about  confiscating  these  skins,  which 
were  taken  on  board  the  ship. 

On  my  return,  I  met  the  ship  coming  out,  Captain 
Marble  being  determined  not  to  trust  her  inside  an- 
other night.  The  wind  was  getting  light,  and,  the 
tides  running  fiercely  in  that  high  latitude,  we  were 
glad  to  make  an  offing  again  while  there  was  still  day. 
The  success  with  the  skins  greatly  mollified  the  new 
captain. 

We  will  close  Mr.  Wallingford's  account  of  this 
remarkable  adventure  at  this  point,  adding  only  that 
Captain  Marble  ordered  their  only  prisoner,  Smudge, 
to  be  hanged  from  the  yard-arm  the  next  day.  Wal- 
lingford  would  have  prevented  this  summary  proceed- 
ing, if  he  could,  but  Captain  Marble  was  resolute, 
and  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  treachery  of  the 
man  appeared  to  justify  even  this  extreme  measure. 
It  is  certain  that  the  "  Crisis"  and  all  on  board  came 
terribly  near  experiencing  the  fate  of  the  hapless 
11  Sea-Otter." 


STORIES    OF   THE   SEA.  229 


LONG  TOM  COFFIN  AND  THE  AEIEL. 

Long  Tom  Coffix,  who  is  introduced  in  the  tale 
of  "  The  Pilot,"  is  the  most  famous  and  original  of 
Mr.  Cooper's  sea-characters.  Long  Tom  was  cock- 
swain of  the  good  schooner  Ariel,  in  commission 
during  our  war  of  the  Revolution  by  the  American 
Congress,  and  employed  in  connection  with  other 
vessels,  in  the  German  ocean,  on  the  eastern  shores  of 
the  island  of  Great  Britain.  Long  Tom  was  of  New 
England  descent,  was  born  on  the  sea,  had  been  many 
years  a  whaler,  and  in  fact  had  passed  nearly  his  entire 
life  on  ship-board.  Mr.  Cooper's  description  of  him 
is  as  follows  :  When  erect,  he  stood  nearly  six  feet 
and  as  many  inches  in  his  shoes,  though,  when  elevated 
in  his  most  perpendicular  attitude,  there  was  a  for- 
ward inclination  about  his  head  and  shoulders,  that 
appeared  to  be  the  consequence  of  habitual  confine- 
ment in  limited  lodgings.  His  whole  frame  was 
destitute  of  the  rounded  outlines  of  a  well-formed 
man,  though  his  enormous  hands  furnished  a  display 
of  bones  and  sinews  which  gave  indications  of  gigan- 
tic strength.  Od  his  head  he  wore  a  little,  low,  brown 
hat  of  wool,  with  an  arched  top,  that  threw  an  ex- 
pression of  peculiar  solemnity  and  hardness  over  his 
harsh  visage,  the  sharp  prominent  i'eat  ures  of  which 
were  completely  encircled  by  a  set  of  black  whiskers, 
that  began  to  be  grizzled  a  little  with  age.     One  of 


230  STORIES   OF   THE    SEA. 

his  hands  grasped,  with  a  sort  of  instinct,  the  staff  of 
a  bright  harpoon. 

The  Ariel  was  in  command  of  Captain  Barnstable. 
At  the  time  of  the  incidents  we  are  about  to  select, 
she,  accompanied  by  a  frigate,  was  off  the  coast  of 
England,  for  the  purpose  of  a  secret  descent  on  the 
island  and  the  capture  of  some  persons  of  nobility 
known  to  be  collected  in  that  vicinity.  It  was  the 
object  of  the  American  commissioners  at  Paris,  one  of 
whom  was  the  renowned  Benjamin  Franklin,  to  se- 
cure the  persons,  if  it  were  possible,  of  sundry  English 
personages  of  note,  with  the  intention  of  holding 
them  as  hostages  for  the  good  treatment  of  American 
prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  British  government. 
With  this  object  in  view,  a  frigate,  accompanied  by 
the  Ariel,  approached  the  shore  of  England ;  and  a 
party  from  the  frigate,  under  the  command  of  the  first 
lieutenant,  Mr.  Griffiths,  secretly  landed,  and  proceeded 
to  the  accomplishment  of  the  plan.  Meanwhile  Cap- 
tain Barnstable  of  the  Ariel,  in  the  whale-boat  of  the 
schooner,  was  to  remain  in  a  little  cove  of  the  shore, 
and  await  the  return  of  the  adventurers.  Unfortu- 
nately the  scheme  was  not  successful ;  the  party  were 
surrounded  and  captured,  and  one  of  the  captors,  a 
man  of  the  name  of  Dillon,  hurried  along  the  coast 
several  miles  to  a  bay  where  one  of  the  king's  cutters 
was  at  anchor,  and  solicited  the  commander  to  proceed 
at  once  to  the  capture  of  the  party  in  the  whale-boat, 
who  had  been  seen  from  the  shore.  The  captors,  it 
seems,  knew  nothing  of  the  proximity  of  the  Utile 
Ariel,  nor  of  the  fact  that  an  American  frigate  was 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  231 

not  many  miles  from  the  shore.  The  Alacrity,  which 
was  the  name  of*  the  king's  cutter,  was  soon  under 
way.  As  the  little  vessel  rounded  the  point  behind 
which  she  had  been  anchored,  her  guns  were  cleared, 
and  the  usual  preparations  were  completed  for  im- 
mediate and  actual  service. 

Dillon,  sorely  against  his  will,  was  compelled  to 
continue  on  board,  in  order  to  point  out  the  place 
where  the  unsuspecting  boatmen  were  expected  to  be 
entrapped.  Everything  being  ready,  when  they  had 
gained  a  safe  distance  from  the  land,  the  Alacrity  was 
kept  away  before  the  wind,  and  glided  along  the 
shore,  with  a  swift  and  easy  progress,  that  promised 
:t  speedy  execution  of  the  business  in  which  her  com- 
mander had  embarked. 

Let  us  now  return  to  Captain  Barnstable  and  Long 
Tom  Coffin.  Barnstable,  after  finding  the  hour  ex- 
pired for  the  appearance  of  Griffith  and  his  companion, 
reluctantly  determined  to  comply  with  the  letter  of 
his  instructions,  and  have  them  to  their  own  sagacity 
and  skill  to  regain  the  Ariel.  The  boat  had  been  suf- 
fered to  ride  in  (lie  edge  of  the  surf,  since  the  appear- 
ance of  the  sun,  and  the  eyes  of  her  crew  were  kept 
anxiously  fixed  on  the  cliffs,  though  in  vain,  to  discover 
the  signal  thai  was  to  call  them  to  the  place  of  land- 
ing. After  looking  at  his  watch  for  the  twentieth 
time,  and  as  often  casting  glances  of  uneasy  dis- 
satisfaction toward  the  shore,  the  lieutenant  ex- 
claimed— 

"A  charming  prospect,  this,  Muster  Collin,  but 
rather  too  much  poetry  in  it  for  your  taste  ;  1  believe 


232  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

yon  relish  no  land  that  is  of  a  harder  consistency  than 
mud !" 

"  I  was  born  on  the  waters,  sir,"  returned  the  cock- 
swain, from  his  snug  abode,  where  he  was  disposed 
with  his  usual  economy  of  room,  "  and  it's  according 
to  all  things  for  a  man  to  love  his  natyve  soil.  I'll  not 
deny,  Captain  Barnstable,  but  I  would  rather  drop  my 
anchor  on  a  bottom  that  won't  broom  a  keel,  though, 
at  the  same  time,  I  harbor  no  great  malice  against 
dry  land." 

"  I  shall  never  forgive  it,  myself,  if  any  accident 
has  befallen  Griffiths,  in  this  excursion,"  rejoined  the 
lieutenant ;  "  pull  more  from  the  land,  and  let  her  run 
down,  at  an  easy  stroke,  to  the  schooner.  Keep  a 
look-out  at  the  cliffs,  boys ;  it  is  possible  that  they  are 
stowed  in  some  of  the  holes  in  the  rocks,  for  it's  no 
daylight  business  they  are  on." 

The  order  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  they  had 
glided  along  for  near  a  mile,  in  this  manner,  in  the 
most  profound  silence,  when  suddenly  the  stillness 
was  broken  by  a  heavy  rush  of  air,  and  a  dash  of  the 
water,  seemingly  at  no  great  distance  from  them. 

THE   WHALE. 

"  By  heaven,  Tom,"  cried  Barnstable,  starting, 
"  there  is  the  blow  of  a  whale." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  returned  the  cockswain  with  undis- 
turbed composure  ;  "  here  is  his  spout,  not  half  a  mile 
to  seaward  ;  the  easterly  gale  has  driven  the  creater 
to  leeward,  and  he  begins  to  find  himself  in   shoal 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  233 

water.  He's  been  sleeping,  while  he  should  have  been 
working  to  windward !" 

"The  fellow  takes  it  coolly,  too !  he's  in  no  hurry  to 
get  an  offing !" 

"I  rather  conclude,  sir,"  said  the  cockswain,  rolling 
over  his  tobacco  in  his  mouth,  very  composedly,  "the 
gentleman  has  lost  his  reckoning,  and  don't  know 
which  way  to  head,  to  take  himself  back  into  blue 
water." 

"  'Tis  a  fin-back !"  exclaimed  the  lieutenant,  "  he 
will  soon  make  head-way,  and  be  off." 

"  No,  sir,  'tis  a  right  whale,"  answered  Tom ;  "  I 
saw  1  lis  spoilt ;  he  threw  up  a  pair  of  as  pretty  rain- 
bows as  a  Christian  would  wish  to  look  at." 

Barnstable  laughed,  turned  himself  away  from  the 
tempting  sight,  and  tried  to  look  at  the  cliffs  ;  and 
then  unconsciously  bent  his  longing  eyes  again  on  the 
sluggish  animal,  who  was  throwing  his  huge  carcass, 
at  times,  tor  many  feet  from  the  water,  in  idle  gambols. 
The  temptation  for  sport  at  length  prevailed  over  his 
anxiety  in  behalf  of  his  friends,  and  the  young  officer 
inquired  of  his  cockswain — 

"Is  there  any  whale-line  in  the  boat,  to  make  fast 
to  that  harpoon  which  you  bear  about  with  you  in  fair 
weather  or  foul  '.■',, 

"  I  never  trust  the  boal  from  the  schooner  without 
part  of  a  shot,  sir,"  returned  the  cockswain  ;  ''there 
is  something  nateral  in  the  Bight  of  a  tub  to  my  old 
eyes." 

Barnstable  looked  at  his  watch,  and  again  at  the 
cliffs,  when  he  exclaimed,  in  joyous,  tones — 


234  STORIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

"  Give  strong  way,  my  hearties !  There  seems 
nothing  better  to  be  clone  ;  let  us  have  a  stroke  of  a 
harpoon  at  that  impudent  rascal." 

The  men  shouted  spontaneously,  and  the  old  cock- 
swain suffered  his  solemn  visage  to  relax  into  a  small 
laugh,  while  the  whale-boat  sprung  forward  like  a 
courser  for  the  goal.  During  the  few  minutes  they 
were  pulling  toward  their  game,  Long  Tom  arose  from 
his  crouching  attitude  in  the  stern-sheets,  and  trans- 
ferred his  huge  form  to  the  bows  of  the  boat,  where 
he  made  such  preparations  to  strike  the  whale  as  the 
occasion  required. 

Their  approach  was  utterly  unnoticed  by  the  mon- 
ster of  the  deep,  who  continued  to  amuse  himself  with 
throwing  the  water,  in  two  circular  spouts,  high  into 
the  air,  occasionally  nourishing  the  broad  flukes  of 
his  tail  with  a  graceful  but  terrific  force,  until  the 
hardy  seamen  were  within  a  few  hundred  feet  of  him, 
when  he  suddenly  cast  his  head  downward,  and,  with- 
out an  apparent  effort,  reared  his  immense  body  for 
many  feet  above  the  water,  waving  his  tail  violently, 
and  producing  a  whizzing  noise,  that  sounded  like 
the  rushing  of  winds. 

The  cockswain  stood  erect,  poising  his  harpoon, 
ready  for  the  blow  ;  but  when  he  beheld  the  creature 
assume  this  formidable  attitude,  he  waved  his  hand  to 
his  commander,  who  instantly  signed  to  his  men  to 
cease  rowing.  In  this  situation  the  sportsmen  rested 
a  few  moments,  while  the  whale  struck  several 
blows  on  the  water,  in  rapid  succession,  the  noise  of 
which  re-echoed  along  the  cliffs,  like  the  hollow  re- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  235 

ports  of  so  many  cannon.  After  this  wanton  exhi- 
bition of  his  terrible  strength,  the  monster  sunk  again 
into  his  native  element,  and  slowly  disappeared  from, 
the  eyes  of  his  pursuers. 

"  Winch  way  did  he  head,  Tom  ?"  cried  Barnstable, 
the  moment  the  whale  was  out  of  sight. 

"Pretty  much  up  and  down,  sir,"  returned  the 
cockswain,  whose  eye  Avas  gradually  brightening  with 
the  excitement  of  the  sport ;  "  he'll  soon  run  his  nose 
against  the  bottom,  if  he  stands  long  on  that  course, 
and  will  be  glad  to  get  another  snuff  of  pure  air ; 
Bend  her  a  few  fathoms  to  starboard,  sir,  and  I  prom- 
ise we  shall  not  be  out  of  his  track." 

The  conjecture  of  the  experienced  old  seaman 
proved  true,  for  in  a  few  minutes  the  water  broke 
near  them,  and  another  spout  was  cast  into  the  air, 
when  the  huge  animal  rushed,  for  half  his  length,  in 
the  same  direction,  and  fell  on  the  sea,  with  a  turbu- 
lence  and  loam  equal  to  that  which  is  produced  by 
the  launching  of  a  vessel,  for  the  first  time,  into  its 
proper  element.  After  this  evolution,  the  whale 
rolled  heavily,  and  seemed  to  rest  from  further 
efforts. 

His  slightest  movements  were  closely  watched  by 
Barnstable  and  his  cockswain,  and  when  he  was  in  a 
state  of  comparative  rest,  the  former  gave  a  signal  to 
his  crew  to  ply  their  oars  once  more.  A  few  long 
and  vigorous  strokes  sent  the  boat  directly  up  to  the 
broadside  of  the  whale,  with  its  bows  pointing  to- 
ward one  of  the  fins,  which  was,  at  times,  as  the 
animal  yielded  sluggishly  to  the  action  of  the  wave-, 


236  STORIES   OF    THE    SEA. 

exposed  to  view.  The  cockswain  poised  his  harpoon 
with  much  precision,  and  then  darted  it  from  him  with 
a  violence  that  buried  the  iron  in  the  blubber  of  their 
foe.  The  instant  the  blow  was  made,  Long  Tom 
shouted,  "Starn  all!" 

"  Stern  all !"  echoed  Barnstable  ;  when  the  obedient 
seamen,  by  united  efforts,  forced  the  boat  in  a  back- 
ward direction,  beyond  the  reach  of  any  blow  from 
their  formidable  antagonist.  The  alarmed  animal, 
however,  meditated  no  such  resistance ;  ignorant  of 
his  own  power,  and  of  the  insignificance  of  his  ene- 
mies, he  sought  refuge  in  flight.  One  moment  of 
stupid  surprise  succeeded  the  entrance  of  the  iron, 
when  he  cast  his  huge  tail  into  the  air,  with  a  violence 
that  threw  the  sea  around  him  into  increased  commo- 
tion, and  then  disappeared  with  the  quickness  of 
lightning,  amid  a  cloud  of  foam. 

"  Snub  him !"  shouted  Barnstable;  " hold  on,  Tom ; 
he  rises  already." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  the  composed  cockswain, 
seizing  the  line,  which  was  running  out  of  the  boat 
with  a  velocity  that  rendered  such  a  manoeuvre  rather 
hazardous,  and  causing  it  to  yield  more  gradually 
round  the  large  loggerhead  that  was  placed  in  the 
bows  of  the  boat  for  that  purpose.  Presently  the 
line  stretched  forward,  and  rising  to  the  surface,  with 
tremulous  vibrations,  it  indicated  the  direction  in 
which  the  animal  might  be  expected  to  re-appear. 
Barnstable  had  cast  the  bows  of  the  boat  toward 
that  point,  before  the  terrified  and  wounded  victim 
rose  once  more  to  the  surface,  whose  time  was,  how- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  237 

ever,  no  longer  wasted  in  his  sports,  but  who  cast  the 
waters  aside,  as  he  forced  his  way,  with  prodigious 
velocity,  along  their  surface.  The  boat  was  dragged 
violently  in  his  wake,  and  cut  through  the  billows 
with  a  terrific  rapidity,  that  at  moments  appeared  to 
bury  the  slight  fabric  in  the  ocean.  When  Long  Tom 
beheld  his  victim  throwing  his  spouts  on  high  again, 
he  pointed  with  exultation  to  the  jetting  fluid,  which 
was  streaked  with  the  deep  red  of  blood,  and  cried — 

"  Ay !  I've  touched  the  felloAv's  life !  it  must  be 
more  than  two  feet  of  blubber  that  stops  my  iron 
from  reaching  the  life  of  any  whale  that  ever  sculled 
the  ocean  !" 

"  I  believe  you  have  saved  yourself  the  trouble  of 
using  the  bayonet  you  have  rigged  for  a  lance,"  said 
his  commander,  who  entered  into  the  sport  with  all 
the  ardor  of  one  whose  youth  had  been  chiefly 
passed  in  such  pursuits:  "feel  your  line,  Master  Cof- 
fin ;  can  we  haul  alongside  of  our  enemy  ?  I  like  not 
the  course  he  is  steering,  as  he  tows  us  from  the 
schooner." 

"  'Tis  the  creater's  way,  sir,"  said  the  cockswain  ; 
"  you  know  they  need  the  air  in  their  nostrils,  when 
they  run,  the  same  as  a  man ;  but  lay  hold,  boys,  and 
let  us  haul  up  to  him." 

The  seamen  now  seized  the  whale-line,  and  slowly 
drew  their  boat  to  within  a  tew  feet  of  the  tail  of  the 
fish,  whose  progress  became  sensibly  less  rapid,  as  he 
grew  weak  with  the  loss  of  blood.  In  a  few  minutes 
he  stopped  running,  and  appeared  to  roll  uneasily  on 
the  water,  as  if  Buffering  the  agony  of  death. 


233  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

"Shall  we  pull  in,  and  finish  him,  Tom?"  cried 
Barnstable ;  "  a  few  sets  from  your  bayonet  would 
do  it," 

The  cockswain  stood  examining  his  game,  with  cool 
discretion,  and  replied  to  this  interrogatory — 

"  No,  sir,  no — he's  going  into  his  flurry ;  there's  no 
occasion  for  disgracing  ourselves  by  using  a  soldier's 
weapon  in  taking  a  whale.  Starn  off",  sir,  starn  off ! 
the  creater's  in  his  flurry !" 

The  warning  of  the  prudent  cockswain  was  prompt- 
ly obeyed,  and  the  boat  cautiously  drew  off  to  a  dis- 
tance, leaving  to  the  animal  a  clear  space,  while  under 
its  dying  agonies.  From  a  state  of  perfect  rest,  the 
terrible  monster  threw  its  tail  on  high,  as  when  in 
sport,  but  its  blows  were  trebled  in  rapidity  and  vio- 
lence, till  all  was  hid  from  view  by  a  pyramid  of  foam, 
that  was  deeply  dyed  with  blood.  The  roarings  of 
the  fish  were  like  the  bellowings  of  a  herd  of  bulls, 
and  to  one  who  Avas  ignorant  of  the  fact,  it  would 
have  appeared  as  if  a  thousand  monsters  were  engaged 
in  deadly  combat  behind  the  bloody  mist  that  ob- 
structed the  view.  Gradually  these  effects  subsided, 
and  when  the  discolored  water  again  settled  down 
to  the  long  and  regular  swell  of  the  ocean,  the  fish 
was  seen  exhausted,  and  yielding  passively  to  its 
fate.  As  life  departed,  the  enormous  black  mass 
rolled  to  one  side,  and  when  the  white  and  glistening 
skin  of  the  belly  became  apparent,  the  seamen  well 
knew  that  their  victory  was  achieved. 

"What's  to  be  done,  now ?'  said  Barnstable,  as  he 
stood  and  gazed  with  a  diminished    excitement  at 


STORIES    OF   THE   SEA.  239 

their  victim;  "lie  will  yield  no  food,  and  his  carcass 
will  probably  drift  to  land,  and  furnish  our  enemies 
with  the  oil." 

"  If  I  had  but  that  creater  in  Boston  Bay,"  said 
the  cockswaiu,  "  it  would  prove  the  making  of  me ; 
but  such  is  my  luck  forever !  Pull  up,  at  any  rate, 
and  let  me  get  my  harpoon  and  line — the  English 
shall  never  get  them  while  old  Tom  Coffin  can  blow." 

"  Don't  speak  too  fast,"  said  the  strokesman  of  the 
boat ;  "  whether  he  get  your  iron  or  not,  here  he 
comes  in  chase !" 

"  What  mean  you,  fellow  ?"  cried  Barnstable. 

"  Captain  Barnstable  can  look  for  himself,"  returned 
the  seaman,  "  and  tell  whether  I  speak  truth." 

The  young  sailor  turned,  and  saw  the  Alacrity 
bearing  down  before  the  wind,  with  all  her  sails  set, 
as  she  rounded  a  headland,  but  a  short  half-league  to 
windward  of  the  place  where  the  boat  lay. 

"  Pass  that  glass  to  me,"  said  the  captain,  with 
steady  composure.  "This  promises  us  work  in  one 
of  two  ways ;  if  she  be  armed,  it  has  become  our 
turn  to  run;  if  not,  we  are  strong  enough  to  carry 
her." 

A  very  brief  survey  made  the  experienced  officer 
acquainted  with  the  true  character  of  the  vessel  in 
sight  ;  and,  replacing  the  glass  with  much  coolness, 
he  said — ■ 

"That  fellow  shows  long  arms,  and  ten  teeth, 
beside  King  George's  pennant  from  his  top-mast- 
head. Now,  my  lads,  you  are  to  pull  for  your 
lives." 


240  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

The  men  well  understood  the  manner  and  meaning 
of  their  commander ;  and,  throwing  aside  their  coats, 
they  applied  themselves  in  earnest  to  their  task.  For 
half  an  hour  a  profound  silence  reigned  in  the  boat, 
which  made  an  amazing  progress.  But  many  circum- 
stances conspired  to  aid  the  cutter;  she  had  a  fine 
breeze,  with  smooth  water,  and  a  strong  tide  in  her 
favor;  and,  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  we  have 
mentioned,  it  was  but  too  apparent  that  the  distance 
between  the  pursued  and  pursuers  was  lessened 
nearly  half.  Barnstable  preserved  his  steady  coun- 
tenance, but  there  was  an  expression  of  care  gather- 
ing around  his  dark  brow,  which  indicated  that  he 
saw  the  increasing  danger  of  their  situation. 

"That  fellow  has  long  legs,  Master  Coffin,"  he 
said,  in  a  cheerful  tone ;  "  your  whale-line  must  go 
overboard,  and  the  fifth  oar  must  be  handled  by  your 
delicate  hands." 

Tom  arose  from  his  seat,  and,  proceeding  forward, 
he  cast  the  tub  and  its  contents  together  into  the 
sea,  when  he  seated  himself  at  the  bow  oar,  and  bent 
his  athletic  frame  with  amazing  vigor  to  the  task. 

"  Ah  !  there  is  much  of  your  philosophy  in  that 
stroke,  Long  Tom,"  cried  the  commander.  "Hang  the 
whale !  but  for  the  tow  the  black  rascal  gave  us,  we 
should  have  been  out  of  sight  of  this  rover !  These 
Englishmen  have  not  slept  the  last  night,  and  I  fear 
Griffith  will  fare  but  badly.  That  fellow  brings  a  cap 
full  of  wind  down  with  him — 'tis  just  his  play,  and  he 
walks  like  a  race-horse.  Ha !  he  begins  to  be  in  ear- 
nest !" 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  241 

While  Barnstable  was  speaking,  a  column  of  white 
smoke  was  seen  issuing  from  the  bows  of  the  cutter, 
and,  as  the  report  of  a  cannon  was  wafted  to  their  ears, 
the  shot  was  seen  skipping  from  wave  to  wave,  toss- 
ing the  water  in  spray,  and  flying  to  a  considerable 
distance  beyond  them.  The  seamen  cast  cursory 
glances  in  the  direction  of  the  passing  ball,  but  it  pro- 
duced no  manifest  effect  in  either  their  conduct  or  ap- 
pearance. The  cockswain,  who  scanned  its  range 
with  an  eye  of  more  practice  than  the  rest,  observed, 
"That's  a  lively  piece  for  its  metal,  and  it  speaks  with 
a  good  clear  voice ;  but  if  they  hear  it  aboard  the 
Ariel,  the  man  who  fired  it  will  be  sorry  it  wasn't 
born  dumb." 

"  You  are  the  prince  of  philosophers,  Master  Cof- 
fin !"  cried  Barnstable  ;  "  there  is  some  hope  in  that ; 
let  the  Englishman  talk  away,  and  my  life  on  it  the 
Ariels  don't  believe  it  is  thunder;  hand  me  a  musket 
— ril  draw  another  shot." 

The  piece  was  given  to  Barnstable,  who  discharged 
it  several  times,  as  if  to  taunt  their  enemies,  and  the 
scheme  was  completely  successful.  Goaded  by  the 
insults,  the  cutter  discharged  gun  after  gun  at  the  lit- 
tle boat,  throwing  the  shot  frequently  so  near  as  to 
wet  her  crew  with  the  spray,  but  without  injuring 
them  in  the  least.  The  failure  of  these  attempts  to 
injure  them  excited  the  mirth  of  the  reckless  seamen, 
instead  of  creating  any  alarm ;  and  whenever  a  shot 
came  nearer  than  common,  the  cockswain  would  utter 
some  such  expression   as — 

"A  ground  swell,  a  long  shot,  and  a  small  object 
11 


2  ±2  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

make  a  clean  target;"  or,  "A  man  must  squint 
straight  to  hit  a  boat." 

As,  notwithstanding  their  unsuccessful  gunnery,  the 
cutter  was  constantly  gaining  on  the  whale-boat,  there 
was  yet  a  prospect  of  a  speedy  termination  of  the 
chase,  when  the  report  of  a  cannon  was  thrown  back 
like  an  echo  from  one  of  the  Englishman's  discharges, 
and  Barnstable  and  his  companions  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  the  Ariel  stretching  slowly  out  of  the  little 
bay  where  she  had  passed  the  night,  with  the  smoke 
of  the  gun  of  defiance  curling  above  her  taper  masts. 

A  loud  and  simultaneous  shout  of  rapture  was  given 
by  the  lieutenant  and  all  his  boat's-crew,  at  this  cheer- 
ing sight,  while  the  cutter  took  in  all  her  light  sails, 
and,  as  she  hauled  up  on  the  wind,  she  fired  a  whole 
1  mi iadside  at  the  successful  fugitives.  Many  stands  of 
grape,  with  several  round  shot,  flew  by  the  boat,  and 
fell  upon  the  water,  near  them,  raising  a  cloud  of  foam, 
but  without  doing  any  injury. 

"  She  dies  in  a  flurry,"  said  Tom,  casting  his  eyes 
at  the  little  vortex  into  which  the  boat  was  then  en- 
tering. 

"  If  her  commander  be  a  true  man,"  cried  Barnsta- 
ble, "he'll  not  leave  us  on  so  short  an  acquaintance. 
Give  way,  my  souls !  give  way !" 

The  temptation  for  exertion  was  great,  and  it  was 
not  disregarded  by  the  men  ;  in  a  few  minutes  the 
whale-boat  reached  the  schooner,  when  the  crew  of 
the  latter  received  their  commander  and  his  compan- 
ions with  shouts  and  cheers  that  rung  across  the 
waters,  and  reached  the  ears  of  the  disappointed  Eng- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  24-3 

lish  troops  who,  during  the  chase,  had  appeared  on 
the  verge  of  the  cliffs. 


THE   FIGHT. 

The  joyful  shouts  and  hearty  cheers  of  the  Ariel's 
crew  continued  for  some  time  after  her  commander 
had  reached  her  deck.  Barnstable  answered  the  con- 
gratulations of  his  officers  by  cordial  shakes  of  the 
hand,  and,  after  waiting  for  the  ebullition  of  delight 
among  the  seamen  to  subside  a  little,  he  beckoned 
with  an  air  of  authority  for  silence. 

"I  thank  you,  my  lads,  for  your  good  will,"  he 
said,  when  all  were  gathered  around  him  in  deep  at- 
tention :  "  they  have  given  us  a  tough  chase,  and  if 
you  had  left  us  another  mile  to  go,  we  had  been  lost. 
That  fellow  is  a  king's  cutter,  ami  though  his  dispo- 
sition to  run  to  leeward  is  a  good  deal  mollified,  yet 
he  shows  signs  of  fight.  At  any  rate,  lie  is  stripping 
off  some  of  his  clothes,  which  looks  as  if  he  were 
game.  Luckily  for  us,  we  have  a  good  working 
breeze,  tolerably  smooth  water,  and  a  dead  match  ! 
There  is  a  sorl  of  national  obligation  on  us  to  whip 
that  fellow,  ami,  therefore,  without  more  words  about 
the  matter,  let  us  turn  to  and  do  it,  that  we  may  get 
our  breakfast." 

To  this  specimen  of  marine  eloquence,  the  crew 
cheered  as  usual  ;  the  young  men  burning  for  the  com- 
bat, and  the  few  old  sailors  who  belonged  to  the 
schooner  Bhaking  their  heads  with  infinite  satisfaction, 
and  swearing  by  sundry  strange  oaths  that  their  cap- 


s 


244  STOBIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

tain  "could  talk,  when  there  was  need  of  such  thin  or, 
like  the  best  Dictionary  that  eve?r  was  launched." 

During  this  short  harangue,  and  the  subsequent  com- 
ments, the  Ariel  had  been  kept  under  a  cloud  of 
canvass,  as  near  to  the  wind  as  she  covdd  lie,  and  as 
this  was  her  best  sailing,  she  had  stretched  swiftly 
out  from  the  land,  to  a  distance  whence  the  cliffs  and 
the  soldiers  who  were  spread  along  their  summits 
became  plainly  visible.  Barnstable  turned  his  glass 
repeatedly  from  the  cutter  to  the  shore,  as  different 
feelings  predominated  in  his  breast,  before  he  again 
spoke. 

"If  Mr.  Griffith  is  stowed  away  among  those 
rocks,"  he  at  length  said,  "  he  shall  see  as  pretty  an 
argument  discussed,  in  as  few  words,  as  he  ever  lis- 
tened to,  provided  the  gentlemen  in  yonder  cutter 
have  not  changed  their  minds  as  to  the  road  they  in- 
tend to  journey — what  think  you,  Mr.  Merry  ?" 

"  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  and  soul,  sir,"  returned 
the  midshipman,  "that  Mr.  Griffith  was  safe  aboard 
us  ;  it  seems  the  countiy  is  alarmed,  and  God  knows 
Avhat  will  happen  if  he  is  taken !  as  to  the  fellow  to 
windward,  he'll  find  it  easier  to  deal  with  the  Ariel's 
boat,  than  with  her  mother ;  but  he  carries  a  broad 
sail ;  I  question  if  he  means  to  show  play." 

"  Never  doubt  him,  boy,"  said  Barnstable,  "  he  is 
working  off  the  shore,  like  a  man  of  sense,  and,  be- 
sides, he  has  his  spectacles  on,  trying  to  make  out 
what  tribe  of  Yankee  Indians  we  belong  to.  You'll 
see  him  come  to  the  wind  presently,  and  send  a  few 
pieces  of  iron  down  this  way,  by  the  way  of  letting 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  245 

us  know  where  to  find  him.  Tell  the  drunimei",  sir, 
to  beat  to  quarters." 

The  boy  had  been  expecting  this  command,  and, 
without  waiting  for  the  midshipman  to  communicate 
the  order,  he  commenced  that  short  rub-a-dub  air, 
that  will  at  any  time  rouse  a  thousand  men  from  the 
deepest  sleep,  and  cause  them  to  fly  to  their  means  of 
offence,  with  a  common  soul.  The  crew  of  the  Ariel, 
at  the  first  tap  of  the  drum,  spread  with  steadiness  to 
the  different  parts  of  the  little  vessel,  where  their 
various  duties  called  them.  The  cannon  were  sur- 
rounded by  small  parties  of  vigorous  and  athletic 
young  men  ;  the  few  marines  were  drawn  up  in  array 
with  muskets  ;  the  officers  appeared  in  their  boarding 
caps,  with  pistols  stuck  in  their  belts,  and  naked  sabres 
in  their  hands.  The  laugh  of  the  seamen  was  heard 
no  longer,  and  those  who  spoke  uttered  their  thoughts 
only  in  low  and  indistinct  whispers. 

The  English  cutter  held  her  way  from  the  land, 
until  she  ur"i  an  oiling  of  more  than  two  miles,  when 
she  reduced  her  sails  to  a  yet  smaller  number,  and, 
heaving  into  the  wind,  she  fired  a  gun  in  a  direction 
opposite  to  that  which  pointed  to  the  Ariel. 

"  Now  I  would  wager  a  quintal  of  codfish,  Master 
Coffin,"  said  Barnstable,  "against  the  best  cask  of 
porter  thai  was  ever  brewed  in  England,  that  fellow 
believes  a  Yankee  schooner  can  fly  in  the  wind's  c\  e  ! 
If  he  wishes  to  speak  to  us,  why  does'nt  he  give  his 
cutter  a  little  sheet,  and  coiiie  down  ?" 

The  cockswain  had  made  his  arrangements  for  the 
combat,  with  much  moremethod  and  philosophy  than 


2-16  6TOETE.3    OF    TTTE    PEA. 

any  otner  man  in  the  vessel.  When  the  drum  beat  to 
quarters,  he  threw  aside  his  jacket,  vest,  and  shirt, 
with  as  little  hesitation  as  if  he  stood  under  an  Ameri- 
can sun,  and  with  all  the  discretion  of  a  man  who  had 
engaged  in  an  undertaking  that  required  the  free  use 
of  his  utmost  powers.  As  he  was  known  to  be  a 
privileged  individual  in  the  Ariel,  and  one  whose  opin- 
ions, in  all  matters  of  seamanship,  were  regarded  as 
oracles  by  the  crew,  and  were  listened  to  by  his  com- 
mander with  no  little  demonstration  of  respect,  the 
question  excited  no  surprise.  He  was  standing  at  the 
breech  of  his  long  gun,  with  his  brawny  arms  folded 
on  a  breast  that  had  been  turned  to  the  color  of 
blood  by  long  exposure,  his  grizzled  locks  fluttering 
in  the  breeze,  and  his  tall  form  towering  far  above  the 
heads  of  all. near  him. 

"  He  hugs  the  wind,  sir,  as  if  it  was  his  sweetheart," 
was  his  answer;  "but  he'll  let  go  his  hold,  soon; 
and  if  he  don't,  w.e  can  find  a  way  to  make  him  fall  to 
leeward." 

"  Keep  a  good  full !"  cried  the  commander,  in  a 
stern  voice,  "  and  let  the  vessel  go  through  the  water. 
That  fellow  walks  well,  Long  Tom ;  but  we  are  too 
much  for  him  on  a  bowling;  though,  if  he  continue  to 
to  draw  ahead  in  this  manner,  it  will  be  night  before 
Ave  can  get  alongside  him." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  returned  the  cockswain  ;  "  them  cut- 
ters carries  a  press  of  canvas  when  they  seem  to 
have  but  little  ;  their  gafts  are  all  the  same  as  young 
booms,  and  spread  a  broad  head  to  their  mainsails. 
But  it's  no  hard  matter  to  knock  a  few  cloths  out 


STORIES   OF   THE    SEA.  247 

of  their  bolt-ropes,  when  she  will  both  drop  astern 
and  to  leeward." 

"  I  believe  there  is  good  sense  in  your  scheme,  this 
time,"  said  Barnstable  ;  "  for  I  am  anxious  about  the 
frigate's  people — though  I  hate  a  noisy  chase  ;  speak 
to  him,  Tom,  and  let  us  see  if  he  will  answer." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  cried  the  cockswain,  sinking  his  body 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  let  his  head  fall  to  a  level  with 
tiie  cannon  that  he  controlled,  when,  after  divers 
orders,  and  sundry  movements,  to  govern  the  direc- 
tion of  the  piece,  he  applied  a  match,  with  a  rapid  mo- 
tion, to  the  priming. 

Barnstable  sprang  lightly  on  a  gun,  and  watched 
the  instant  when  the  ball  would  strike,  with  keen 
interest,  while  Long  Tom  threw  himself  aside  from 
the  line  of  the  smoke  with  a  similar  intention;  hold- 
ing one  of  his  long  arms  extended  toward  his  name- 
sake, with  a  finger  on  the  vent,  and  supporting  his 
frame  by  placing  the  hand  of  the  other  upon  the  deck, 
as  iii-  eyes  glanced  through  an  opposite  port-hole,  in 
an  attitude  that  most  men  might  have  despaired  of 
imitating  with  Buccess. 

"There  go  the  chipsl"  cried  Barnstable.  "Bravo! 
Master  Coffin,  you  never  planted  iron  in  the  ribs  of 
an  Englishman  with  more  judgment;  let  him  have 
another  piece  of  it,  and  if  he  like  the  sport,  we'll  play 
a  same  of  long  bowls  with  him." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  returned  the  cockswain,  "if  he  holds 
on  half  an  hour  longer,  I'll  dub  him  down  to  our 
own  si/.e,  when  we  can  close,  and  make  an  even  tight 
of  it." 


248  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

The  drum  of  the  Englishman  was  now,  for  the  first 
time,  heard,  rattling  across  the  waters,  and  echoing 
the  call  to  quarters,  that  had  already  proceeded  from 
the  Ariel. 

"  Ah  !  you  have  sent  him  to  his  guns  !"  said  Barn- 
stable; "we  shall  now  hear  more  of  it;  wake  him 
up,  Tom — wake  him  up." 

"  We  shall  start  him  an  end,  or  put  him  to  sleep 
altogether,  shortly,"  said  the  deliberate  cockswain, 
who  never  allowed  himself  to  be  at  all  hurried,  even 
by  his  commander.  "My  shot  are  pretty  much  like 
a  shoal  of  porpoises,,. and  commonly  sail  in  each  other's 
wake.  Stand  by — fheave  her  breech  forward — so  ; 
get  out  of  that,  you  young  reprobate,  and  let  my  har- 
poon  alone." 

"  What  are  you  at,  there,  Master  Cofiin  ?"  cried 
Barnstable;  "are  you  tongue-tied?" 

"  Here's  one  of  the  boys  skylarking  with  my  har- 
poon in  the  lee  scuppers,  and  by-and-by,  when  I  shall 
want'it  most,  there'll  be  a  no-man's-land  to  hunt  for 
it  in." 

"  Never  mind  the  boy,  Tom ;  send  him  aft  here,  to 
me,  and  I'll  polish  his  behavior ;  give  the  English- 
man some  more  iron." 

"I  want  the  little  villain  to  pass  up  my  cartridges," 
returned  the  angry  old  seaman  ;  "  but  if  you'll  be  so 
good,  sir,  as  to  hit  him  a  crack  or  two,  now  and  then, 
as  he  goes  by  you  to  the  magazine,  the  monkey  will 
learn  his  manners,  and  the  schooner's  work  will  be  all 
the  better  done  for  it.  A  young  herring-faced  monkey! 
to  meddle  with  a  tool  ye  don't  know  the  use  of." 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  249 

"Hurrah!  Tom,  hurrah!"  cried  Barnstable,  a  little 
impatiently ;  "  is  your  namesake  never  to  open  his 
throat  again !" 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir ;  all  ready,"  grumbled  the  cockswain, 
"depress  a  little;  so — so;  a  young  baboon-behaved 
curmudgeon;  overhaul  that  forward  fall  more;  stand 
by  with  your  match — but  I'll  pay  him !  fire."  This 
was  the  actual  commencement  of  the  fight;  for,  as  the 
shot  of  Tom  Coffin  travelled,  as  he  had  intimated, 
very  much  in  the  same  direction,  their  enemy  found 
the  sport  becoming  too  hot  to  be  endured  in  silence, 
and  the  report  of  the  second  gun  from  the  Ariel  was 
instantly  folio  wed  by  that  of  the  whole  broadside  of 
the  Alacrity.  The  shot  of  the  cutter  flew  in  a  very 
good  direction,  but  her  guns  were  too  light  to  give 
them  efficiency  at  that  distance,  and  as  one  or  two 
were  heard  to  strike  against  the  bends  of  the 
schooner,  and  tail  back  into  the  water,  the  cockswain, 
whose  good  humor  became  gradually  restored,  as 
the  combat  thickened,  remarked  with  his  customary 
apathy — 

"Them  count  lor  no  more  than  love-taps — does  the 
Englishman  think  that  we  are  firing  salutes!" 

"Stir  him  up,  Tom  !  every  blow  you  give  him  will 
help  to  open  his  eyes,"  cried  Barnstable,  rubbing  his 
hands  with  glee,  as  lie   witnessed   the   success   of   his 

efforts  to  close. 

Thus  tar  the  cockswain  and  his  crew  had  the  fight, 
on  the  pari  of  the  Ariel,  altogether  to  themselves,  the 
men  who  were  siationed  at  the  smaller  and  shorter 
guns  standing  in  perfect  idleness  by  their  sides ;  but 


250  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  the  commander  of  the  Alac- 
rity, who  had  been  staggered  by  the  weight  of  the 
shot  that  had  struck  him,  steered  boldly  in  such  a 
direction  as  would  soonest  bring  him  in  contact  with 
his  enemy,  without  exposing  his  vessel  to  be  raked 
by  his  fire.  Barnstable  watched  each  movement  of 
his  foe,  and  when  the  vessel  had  got  within  a  les- 
sened distance,  he  gave  the  order  for  a  general  fire  to 
be  opened.  The  action  now  grew  warm  and  spirited 
on  both  sides.  The  power  of  the  Avind  was  counter- 
acted by  the  constant  explosion  of  the  cannon ;  and 
instead  of  driving  rapidly  to  leeward,  a  white  canopy 
of  curling  smoke  hung  above  the  Ariel,  or  rested  on 
the  water,  lingering  in  her  wake,  so  as  to  mark  the 
path  by  which  she  was  approaching  to  a  closer  and 
still  deadlier  struggle.  The  shouts  of  the  young 
sailors,  as  they  handled  their  instruments  of  death, 
became  mc*-e  animated  and  fierce,  while  the  cock- 
swain pursued  his  occupation  with  the  silence  and 
skill  of  one. who  labored  in  a  regular  vocation. 

"  Give  it  them !"  cried  Barnstable,  in  a  voice  that 
mhdit  bo  heard  amid  the  bellowing  of  the  cannon ; 
"  never  mind  their  cordage,  my  lads  ;  drive  home 
their  bolts,  and  make  your  marks  below  their  ridge- 
ropes." 

Jn  the  mean  time,  the  Englishman  played  a  manful 
game.  He  had  suffered  a  heavy  loss  by  the  distant 
cannonade,  which  no  metal  he  possessed  could  retort 
upon  his  enemy ;  but  he  struggled  nobly  to  repair 
the  error  in  judgment  with  which  he  had  begun  the 
contest.     The  two  vessels  gradually  drew  nigher  to 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  251 

each  other,  until  they  both  entered  into  the  common 
cloud  created  by  their  fire.  The  heavy  reports  of 
the  cannon  were  now  mingled  with  the  rattling  of 
muskets  and  pistols,  and  streaks  of  fire  might  be  seen 
glancing  like  flashes  of  lightning  through  the  white 
cloud  which  enshrouded  the  combatants,  and  many 
minutes  of  painful  uncertainty  followed,  before  the 
deeply  interested  soldiers,  who  were  gazing  at  the 
sctne,  discovered  on  whose  banners  victory  had 
alighted. 

We  shall  follow  the  combatants  into  their  misty 
wreath,  and  display  to  the  reader  the  events  as  they 
occurred. 

The  fire  of  the  Ariel  was  much  the  most  quick  and 
deadly,  both  because  she  had  suffered  less,  and  her 
men  were  less  exhausted ;  and  the  cutter  stood  des- 
perately on  to  decide  the  combat,  after  grappling, 
hand  to  hand.  Barnstable  anticipated  her  intention, 
and  well  understood  her  commander's  reason  for 
adopting  this  course.  Accordingly,  he  met  the  enemy 
half-way,  and  as  the  vessels  rushed  together,  the  stern 
<>i  the  schooner  was  secured  to  the  bows  of  the  cut- 
ter, by  the  joint  efforts  of  both  parties.  The  voice  ot 
tlic  English  commander  was  now  plainly  to  be  heard, 
in  the  uproar,  calling  to  his  men  to  follow  him. 

"Away  there,  hoarders!  repel  boarders  on  the  star- 
board quarter  1"  shouted  Barnstable  through  his 
t  ruin  pet. 

This  was  the  last  order  that  the  gallant  young  sailor 
gave,  with  this  instrument,  for,  as  lie  spoke,  he  cast  it 
from  him,   and  seizing  his  sabre,  flew  to  the  spot 


252  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

where  the  enemy  was  about  to  make  his  most  despe- 
rate effort.  The  shouts,  execrations,  and  tauntings  of 
the  combatants  now  succeeded  to  the  roar  of  the 
cannon,  which  could  be  used  no  longer  with  effect, 
though  the  fight  was  still  maintained  with  spirited 
discharges  of  the  small-arms. 

"  Sweep  him  from  his  decks  !"  cried  the  English 
commander,  as  he  appeared  on  his  own  bulwarks, 
surrounded  by  a  dozen  of  his  bravest  men ;  "  drive 
the  rebellious  dogs  into  the  sea !" 

"  Away  there,  marines!"  retorted  Barnstable,  firing 
his  pistol  at  the  advancing  enemy  ;  "  leave  not  a  man 
of  them  to  sup  his  grog  again." 

The  tremendous  and  close  volley  that  succeeded 
this  order  nearly  accomplished  the  command  of  Barn- 
stable to  the  letter,  and  the  commander  of  the  Alac- 
rity, perceiving  that  he  stood  alone,  reluctantly  fell 
back  on  the  deck  of  his  own  vessel,  in  order  to  bring 
up  his  men  once  more. 

"  Board  her!  gray  beards  and  boys,  idlers  and  all!" 
shouted  Barnstable,  springing  in  adv  ance  of  his  crew 
— a  powerful  arm  arrested  the  movement  of  the  daunt- 
less seaman,  and  before  he  had  time  to  recover  him- 
self, he  was  drawn  violently  back  to  his  own  vessel, 
by  the  irresistible  grasp  of  his  cockswain. 

"The  fellow's  in  his  flurry,"  said  Tom,  "and  it 
wouldn't  be  wise  to  go  within  reach  of  his  flukes ; 
but  I'll  just  step  ahead  and  give  him  a  set  with  my 
harpoon." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  the  cockswain  reared 
his  tall  frame  on  the  bulwarks,  and  was  in  the  atti- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  253 

tude  of  stepping  on  board  of  his  enemy,  when  a  sea 
separated  the  vessels,  and  he  fell  with  a  heavy  dash  of 
the  waters  into  the  ocean.  As  twenty  muskets  and 
pistols  were  discharged  at  the  instant  he  appeared,  the 
crew  of  the  Ariel  supposed  his  fall  to  be  occasioned 
by  his  wounds,  and  were  rendered  doubly  fierce  by 
the  sight,  and  the  cry  of  their  commander  to — 

"  Revenge  Long  Tom  !  board  her  ;  Long  Tom  or 
death !" 

They  threw  themselves  forward  in  irresistible  num- 
bers, and  forced  a  passage,  with  much  bloodshed,  to 
the  forecastle  of  the  Alacrity.  The  Englishman  was 
overpowered,  but  still  remained  undaunted — he  ral- 
lied his  crew,  and  bore  up  most  gallantly  to  the  fray. 
Thrusts  of  pikes,  and  blows  of  sabres  were  becoming 
close  and  deadly,  while  muskets  and  pistols  were  con- 
stantly discharged  by  those  who  were  kept  at  a  dis- 
tance by  the  pressure  of  the  throng  of  closer  combat- 
ants. 

Barnstable  led  his  men,  in  advance,  and  became  a 
mark  of  peculiar  vengeance  to  his  enemies,  as  they 
slowly  yielded  before  his  vigorous  assaults.  Chance 
had  placed  the  two  commanders  on  opposite  sides  of 
the  cutter's  deek,  and  (lie  victory  seemed  to  incline  to- 
ward either  party,  wherever  these  daring  officers  di- 
rected the  struggle  in  person.  But  the  Englishman, 
perceiving  that  the  ground  he  maintained  in  person 
was  l«»st  elsewhere,  made  an  effort  to  restore  the 
battle,  by  changing  bis  position,  followed  by  one  or 
two  of  his  besl  nun. 

"Hurrah I"  shouted  Barnstable,  from  the  edge  of 


254  STORIES    OF   TIIK    SEA. 

the  quarter-deck,  where,  attended  by  a  few  men,  lie 
was  driviner  all  before  him.  "  Revenue — Long  Tom 
and  victory !" 

"  We  have  them  !"  exclaimed  the  Englishman  ; 
"handle  your  pikes  1  we  have  them  between  two 
fires." 

The  battle  would  probably  have  terminated  very 
differently  from  what  previous  circumstances  had  in- 
dicated, had  not  a  wild-looking  figure  appeared  in  the 
cutter's  channels  at  that  moment,  issuing  from  the 
sea,  and  gaining  the  deck  at  the  same  instant.  It  was 
Long  Tom,  with  his  iron  visage  rendered  fierce  by  his 
previous  discomfiture,  and  his  grizzly  locks  drenched 
with  the  briny  element,  from  which  he  had  risen, 
looking  like  Neptune  with  his  trident.  Without 
speaking,  he  poised  his  harpoon,  and  with  a  powerful 
effort,  pinned  the  unfortunate  Englishman  to  the  mast 
of  his  own  vessel. 

"Starn  all!"  cried  Tom,  by  a  sort  of  instinct,  when 
the  blow  was  struck.  A  few  of  the  Englishmen  stood 
chained  to  the  spot  in  silent  horror  at  the  sight,  but 
most  of  them  fled  to  their  lower  deck,  or  hastened  to 
conceal  themselves  in  the  secret  parts  of  the  vessel, 
leaving  to  the  Americans  the  undisputed  possession 
of  the  Alacrity. 

Two-thirds  of  the  cutter's  crew  suffered  either  in 
life  or  limbs,  by  this  short  struggle  ;  nor  was  the  vic- 
tory obtained  by  Barnstable  without  paying  the  price 
of  several  valuable  lives.  The  first  burst  of  conquest 
was  not,  however,  the  moment  to  appreciate  the  sac- 
rifice, and  loud  and  reiterated  shouts  proclaimed  the 


STORIES    OF   TTIE    SEA.  255 

exultation  of  the  conquerors.  As  the  flush  of  victory 
subsided,  however,  recollection  returned,  and  Barn- 
stable issued  such  orders  as  humanity  and  his  duty 
rendered  necessary. 

THE    WRECK    OF   THE   ARIEL. 

Before  proceeding  to  extract  the  account  of  the 
wreck  of  the  Ariel,  we  must  give  a  few  words  of  ex- 
planation as  to  the  presence  of  one  who  figured  con- 
spicuously in  the  scene,  and  whose  terrible  fate  added 
to  the  horrors  of  the  moment.  Dillon  was  anions;  the 
prisoners  captured  by  the  Ariel — having  been  com- 
pelled, as  already  stated,  to  accompany  the  command- 
er of  the  Alacrity  on  his  expedition.  This  Dillon  was 
a  Tory  refugee,  a  man  utterly  knavish  and  cowardly, 
and  who,  having  been  false  to  his  country,  was  now  to 
exhibit  a  treachery  of  a  much  more  guilty  character. 
The  captain  of  the  Ariel,  desirous  of  securing  the  free- 
dom of  Mr.  Griffiths  and  men,  acceded  to  the  proposal 
of  this  Dillon,  although  with  some  hesitation,  to  allow 
him  to  proceed  ashore  and  obtain  an  exchange  of  the 
prisoners  captured  in  the  Alacrity  lor  the  Americans  on 
shore.  Dillon's  proposal  was  so  plausible,  and  the  re- 
peated pledges  he  gave  of  his  honorable  intentions 
were  bo  earnest,  thai  Barnstable  consented,  sending 
LongTom  with  the   man  on  his   errand.      How  Long 

Tom  was  delivered  up  to  the  British  soldiers  l>y  Dil- 
lon; how  he  overheard  in  his  confinement  a  plan  to 
sink  the  Arid  at  her  anchor  by  the  guns  of  a  shore 
battery,  within   range  of  which  she  lay;  how  he  sue- 


256  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

ceeded  in  escaping  and  forcing  himself  into  the  apart- 
ment of  Dillon,  and,  seizing  the  traitor,  carried  him  oif 
bodily,  threatening  to  kill  him  on  the  spot  if  he  made 
the  least  noise ;  how  he  got  down  to  the  beach,  though 
hotly  pursued,  where  Captain  Barnstable  in  his  boat 
awaited  him — are  matters  of  great  interest,  it  is  true, 
but  too  long  for  us  to  quote.  Barnstable  with  his 
prisoner  reached  the  Ariel  just  in  time  to  see  the  en- 
emy preparing  to  put  Dillon's  treacherous  proposal 
into  operation.  It  was  night,  and  lights  began  to  ap- 
pear in  the  battery,  and  presently  the  guns  poured 
forth  their  iron  balls  at  the  Ariel.  Fortunately  young 
Merry,  the  midshipman,  had  during  the  night  shifted 
the  position  of  the  Ariel,  so  that  the  gunners,  unable 
to  see  her  exact  location  in  the  darkness,  fired  at  her 
by  the  day-range.  Unfortunately  the  wind  was  blow- 
ing strong  into  shore  from  the  north-east,  and  the 
sullen  roaring  of  the  waters  and  the  mournful  whis- 
tling of  the  winds  indicated  a  danger  to  the  Ariel,  in 
her  position,  as  formidable  as  the  guns  of  the  battery. 
Though  every  nerve  of  Barnstable  was  thrilling 
with  excitement  produced  by  his  feelings  passing  from 
a  state  of  the  most  doubtful  apprehension  to  that  of 
a  revived  and  almost  confident  hope  of  effecting  his 
escape,  he  assumed  the  command  of  his  vessel  with 
all  that  stern  but  calm  authority  that  seamen  find  it 
most  necessary  to  exert  in  the  moments  of  extremest 
danger.  Any  one  of  the  heavy  shot  that  their  ene- 
mies continued  to  hurl  from  their  heights  into  the 
darkness  of  the  haven,  he  well  knew,  must  prove  fatal 
to  them,  as  it  would,  unavoidably,  pass  through  the 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  257 

slight  fabric  of  the  Ariel,  and  open  a  passage  to  the 
waters,  that  no  means  he  possessed  could  remedy. 
His  mandates  were,  therefore,  issued,  with  a  full  per- 
ception of  the  critical  nature  of  the  emergency,  hut 
-with  that  collectedness  of  manner,  and  intonation  of 
voice,  that  were  best  adapted  to  enforce  a  ready  and 
animated  obedience.  Under  this  impulse,  the  crew  of 
the  schooner  soon  got  their  anchor  freed  from  the 
bottom,  and,  seizing  their  sweeps,  they  forced  her, 
by  their  united  efforts,  directly  in  the  face  of  the  bat- 
tery. So  long  as  the  seamen  were  enabled  to  keep 
their  little  bark  under  the  cover  of  the  hill,  they  were, 
of  course,  safe;  but  Barnstable  perceived,  as  they 
emerged  from  its  shadow,  and  were  drawing  nigh 
the  passage  whirl)  led  into  the  ocean,  that  the  action 
of  his  sweeps  would  no  longer  avail  them  against  the 
currents  of  air  they  encountered,  neither  would  the 
darkness  conceal  their  movements  from  his  enemy, 
who  had  already  employed  men  on  the  shore  to  dis- 
cern the  position  <»f  the  schooner.  Throwing  off  at 
once,  therefore,  all  appearance  of  disguise,  he  gave 
forth  the  word  to  spread  the  canvas  of  his  vessel,  in 
his  ordinary  cheerful  manner. 

The  sails  had  been  loosened  and  set;  and,  as  the 
vessel  approached  the  throat  of  the  passage,  the  gale, 
which  was  blowing  with  increasing  violence,  began 
to  make  a  very  sensible  impression  on  the  light  bark. 
The  cockswain,  who,  in  the  absence  of  most  of  the  in- 
ferior officers,  had  been  acting,  on  the  forecastle,  the 
pari  of  one  who  felt,  from  his  years  and  experience, 
that  he  had  some  right  to  advise,  if  not  to  command, 
17 


258  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

at  such  a  juncture,  now  walked  to  the  station  which 
his  commander  had  taken,  near  the  helmsman, 
as  if  willing  to  place  himself  in  the  way  of  being 
seen. 

"Well,  Master  Coffin,"  said  Barnstable,  who  well 
understood  the  propensity  his  old  shipmate  had  to 
commune  with  him,  on  all  important  occasions,  "  what 
think  you  of  the  cruise,  now?  If  we  fetch  to  wind- 
ward of  the  northern  point,  we  shall  lay  out  into  the 
offing,  and  in  ten  minutes  we  might  laugh  at  Queen 
Anne's  pocket-piece  which,  you  know,  old  boy,  sent  a 
ball  from  Dover  to  Calais." 

"Ay,  sir,  I've  heard  of  the  gun,"  returned  the 
grave  seaman,  "  and  a  lively  piece  it  must  have  been, 
if  the  streights  were  always  of  the  same  width  they 
are  now.  But  I  see  that,  Captain  Barnstable,  which 
is  more  dangerous  than  a  dozen  of  the  heaviest  cannon 
that  were  ever  cast  can  be  at  half  a  league's  distance. 
The  water  is  bubbling  through  our  lee-scuppers, 
alreadv,  sir." 

"  And  what  of  that  ?  haven't  I  buried  her  guns 
often,  and  yet  kept  every  spar  in  her  without  crack 
or  splinter?" 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,  you  have  done  it,  and  can  do  it 
again,  where  there  is  sea-room,  which  is  all  that  a 
man  wants  for  comfort  in  this  life.  But  when  we  are 
<nit  of  these  chops,  we  shall  be  embayed,  with  a  heavy 
north-easter  setting  dead  into  the  bight;  it  is  that 
which  I  fear,  Captain  Barnstable,  more  than  all  the 
powder  and  ball  in  the  whole  island." 

"  We  will  beat  her  out  of  the  bight,  old  fellow," 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  259 

cried  the  lieutenant ;  "  we  shall  have  a  leg  of  three 
leagues  in  length  to  do  it  in." 

"  I  have  known  longer  legs  too  short,"  returned 
the  cockswain,  shaking  his  head ;  "  a  tumbling  sea, 
with  a  lee-tide,  on  a  lee-shore,  makes  a  sad  lee-way." 

The  lieutenant  was  in  the  act  of  replying  to  this 
saying,  with  a  cheerful  Laugh,  when  the  whistling  of 
a  passing  shot  was  instantly  succeeded  by  the  crash 
of  splintered  wood,  and  at  the  next  moment  the  head 
of  the  main-mast,  after  tottering  for  an  instant  in  the 
<_::i!>',  I'll  toward  the  deck,  bringing  with  it  the  main- 
sail, and  the  long  line  of  top-mast,  that  had  been 
bearing  the  emblems  of  America,  as  the  cockswain 
had  expressed  it,  among  the  stars  of  the  heavens. 

"That  was  a  most  unlucky  hit!"  Barnstable  suf- 
fered  to  escape  him  in  the  concern  of  the  moment; 
but,  instantly  resuming  all  his  colleetedness  of  man- 
ner and  voice,  he  gave  his  orders  to  clear  the  wreck, 
and  secure  the  fluttering  canvas. 

The  mournful  forebodings  of  Tom  seemed  to  vanish 
with  the  appearance  of  a  necessity  for  his  exertions, 
and  he  was  foremost  among  the  crew  in  executing 
the  orders  of  their  commander.  The  loss  of  all  the 
sail  on  the  main-masl  forced  the  Ariel  so  much  from 
her  course,  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  weather  the 
point,  that    jutted,  under    her    lee,  lor   some    distance 

into  the  ocean.  This  desirable  object  was,  however, 
effected,  by  the  skill  of  Barnstable,  aided  by  the  ex- 
cellent properties  of  his  vessel  ;  and  the  schooner, 
borne  down  by  the  power  of  the  gale,  from  whose 
fury  she  had  now  no  protection,  passed  heavily  along 


260  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

the  land,  heading,  as  far  as  possible,  from  the  break- 
ers, while  the  seamen  were  engaged  in  making  their 
preparations  to  display  as  much  of  their  main-sail,  as 
the  stump  of  the  mast  would  allow  them  to  spread. 
The  firing  from  the  battery  ceased,  as  the  Ariel 
rounded  the  little  promontory;  but  Barnstable,  whose 
gaze  was  now  bent  intently  on  the  ocean,  soon  per- 
ceived that,  as  his  cockswain  had  predicted,  he  had  a 
much  more  threatening  danger  to  encounter  in  the 
elements. 

The  Ariel  continued  to  struggle  against  the  winds 
and  ocean  for  several  hours  longer,  before  the  day 
broke  on  the  tempestuous  scene,  and  the  anxious 
mariners  were  enabled  to  form  a  more  accurate  esti- 
mate of  their  real  danger.  As  the  violence  of  the 
gale  increased,  the  canvas  of  the  schooner  had  been 
gradually  reduced,  until  she  was  unable  to  show  more 
than  was  absolutely  necessary  to  prevent  her  driving 
helplessly  on  the  land.  Barnstable  watched  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  weather,  as  the  light  slowdy  opened 
upon  them,  with  intense  anxiety.  On  looking  to 
windward,  he  beheld  the  green  masses  of  water  that 
were  rolling  in  toward  the  land,  with  a  violence  that 
seemed  irresistible,  crowned  with  ridges  of  foam ;  and 
there  were  moments  when  the  air  appeared  filled 
with  sparkling  gems,  as  the  rays  of  the  rising  sun 
fell  upon  the  spray  that  was  swept  from  wave  to 
wave.  Toward  the  land,  the  view  was  still  more 
appalling.  The  whole  coast,  from  the  distant  head- 
land at  the  south,  to  the  well-known  shoals  that 
stretched  far  beyond  their  course,  in  the  opposite 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  261 

direction,  displayed  a  broad  belt  of  foam,  into  which 
it  would  have  been  certain  destruction,  for  the  proud- 
est ship  that  swam,  to  have  entered.  Still  the  Ariel 
floated  on  the  billows,  lightly  and  in  safety,  though 
yielding  to  the  impulses  of  the  waters,  and,  at  times, 
appearing  to  be  engulphed  in  the  yawning  chasms, 
which,  apparently,  opened  beneath  her  to  receive  the 
little  fabric.  The  low  rumor  of  acknowledged  danger 
had  found  its  way  through  the  schooner,  and  the  sea- 
men, after  fastening  their  hopeless  looks  on  the  small 
spot  of  canvas  that  they  were  still  able  to  show  to 
the  tempest,  would  turn  to  view  the  dreary  line 
of  coast,  that  seemed  to  offer  so  gloomy  an  alterna- 
tive. 

At  this  moment  of  appalling  apprehension,  the 
cockswain  exhibited  the  calmest  resignation.  He 
knew  all  had  been  done,  that  lay  in  the  power  of  man, 
to  urge  their  little  vessel  from  the  land,  and  it  was 
now  too  evident  to  his  experienced  eyes,  that  it  had 
been  done  in  vain;  but,  considering  himself  as  a  sort 
of  fixture  in  the  schooner,  he  was  quite  prepared  to 
abide  her  fate,  be  it  for  better  or  for  worse.  The 
settled  look  of  gloom  that  gathered  around  the  frank 
brow  of  Barnstable,  was  in  no  degree  connected  with 
any  considerations  of  himself,  but  proceeded  from 
that  sort  of  parental  responsibility,  from  which  the 
sea-commander  is  never  exempt.  The  discipline  of 
the  crew,  however,  still  continued  perfeel  and  un- 
yielding. 

"She  can  make  no  head  against  this  sea,  under 
that    rag   of    canvas,"     said    Barnstable,    gloomily, 


262  STOKIES    OF    THE   SEA. 

addressing  the  cockswain,  who,  with  folded  arms, 
and  an  air  of  cool  resignation,  was  balancing  his 
body  on  the  verge  of  the  quarter-deck,  while  the 
schooner  was  plunging  madly  into  waves  that  nearly 
buried  her  in  their  bosom  ;  "  the  poor  little  thing 
trembles  like  a  frightened  child,  as  she  meets  the 
water." 

Tom  sighed  heavily,  and  shook  his  head,  before 
he  answered — 

"If  we  could  have  kept  the  head  of  the  main-mast 
an  hour  longer,  we  might  have  got  an  offing,  and 
fetched  to  windward  of  the  shoals;  but  as  it  is,  sir, 
mortal  man  can't  drive  a  craft  to  windward — she  sets 
bodily  in  to  land,  and  will  be  in  the  breakers  in  less 
than  an  hour,  unless  God  wills  that  the  wind  shall 
cease  to  blow." 

"  We  have  no  hope  left  us,  but  to  anchor ;  our 
ground  tackle  may  yet  bring  her  up.  Go,  get  the 
two  bowers  spliced,  and  have  a  kedge  bent  to  a  haw- 
ser: we'll  back  our  two  anchors  together,  and  veer 
to  the  better  end  of  two  hundred  and  forty  fathoms  ; 
it  may  yet  bring  her  up.  See  all  clear  there  for 
anchoring,  and  cutting  away  the  mast!  we'll  leave 
the  wind  nothing  but  a  naked  hull  to  whistle  over." 

"Ay,  if  there  was  nothing  but  the  wind,  we  might 
yet  live  to  see  the  sun  sink  behind  them  hills,"  said 
the  cockswain;  "but  what  hemp  can  stand  the  strain 
of  a  craft  that  is  buried,  half  the  time,  to  her  foremast 
in  the  water?" 

The  order  was,  however,  executed  by  the  crew, 
with  a  sort  of  desperate  submission  to  the  will  of 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  263 

their  commander;  and  when  the  preparations  were 
completed,  the  anchors  and  hedge  were  dropped  to 
the  bottom,  and  the  instant  that  the  Ariel  tended  to 
the  wind,  the  axe  was  applied  to  the  little  that  was 
left  of  her  long,  raking  masts.      The  crash  of  the 
falling  spars,  as  they  came,  in  succession,  across  the 
decks  of  the  vessel,  appeared  to  produce  no  sensation 
amid  that  scene  of  complicated  danger,  but  the  sea- 
men proceeded  in  silence  to  their  hopeless  duty  of 
clearing  the  wrecks.     It  was  now  felt  by  the  whole 
crew  of  the  Ariel,  that  their  last  means  of  safety  had 
been  adopted,  and,   at  each  desperate  and  headlong 
plunge  the  vessel  took  into  the  bosom  of  the  seas 
that  rolled  upon  her  forecastle,  the  anxious  seamen 
thought  they  could  perceive  the  yielding  of  the  iron 
that  yet  clung  to  the  bottom,  or  could  hear  the  vio- 
lent surge  of  the  parting  strands  of  the  cable,  that 
still  held  them  to  their  anchors.     "While  the  minds  of 
the  sailors  were  agitated  with  the  faint  hopes  that  had 
been  excited  by  the  movements  of  their  schooner,  Dil- 
lon had  been  permitted  to  wander  about  the  vessel 
unnoticed  :     his    rolling    eyes,    hard    breathing,    and 
clenched  hands,  excited  no  observation  among  the 
men,  whose  thoughts  were  ye)  dwelling  on  the  means 
of  safety.    But  now,  when,  with  a  sort  of  frenzied  des- 
peration, he  would  follow  the  retiring  waters  along 
the  decks,  and  venture  his  person  nigh  the  group  that 
had  collected  around  and  on  the  gun  of  the  cockswain, 
glances  of  fierce  or  of  sullen  vengeance  were  cast  at 
him,  that  conveyed  threats  of  a  nature  that  he  was 
too  much  agitated  to  understand. 


264  STORIES   OF   TIIE    SEA. 

u  If  ye  are  tired  of  this  world,  though  your  time, 
like  my  own,  is  probably  but  short  in  it,"  said  Tom 
to  him,  as  he  passed  the  cockswain  in  one  of  his  turns, 
"  you  can  go  forward  among  the  men ;  but  if  ye 
have  need  of  the  moments  to  foot  up  the  reck'ning  of 
your  doings  among  men,  afore  ye're  brought  to  face 
your  Maker,  and  hear  the  log-book  of  Heaven,  I 
would  advise  you  to  keep  as  nigh  as  possible  to  Cap- 
tain Barnstable  or  myself." 

"Will  you  promise  to  save  me  if  the  vessel  is 
wrecked?"  exclaimed  Dillon,  catching  at  the  first 
sounds  of  friendly  interest  that  had  reached  his  ears, 
since  he  had  been  recaptured ;  "  O  !  if  you  will,  I  can 
secure  you  future  ease ;  yes,  wealth,  for  the  remain- 
der of  your  days !" 

"  Your  promises  have  been  too  ill  kept  afore  this, 
for  the  peace  of  your  soul,"  returned  the  cockswain, 
without  bitterness,  though  sternly. 

The  intercessions  of  Dillon  were  interrupted  by  a 
dreadful  cry  that  arose  among  the  men  forward,  and 
which  sounded  with  increased  horror  amid  the  roar- 
ings of  the  tempest.  The  schooner  rose  on  the  breast 
of  a  wave  at  the  same  instant,  and,  falling  off  with 
her  broadside  to  the  sea,  she  drove  in  toward  the 
cliffs,  like  a  bubble  on  the  rapids  of  a  cataract. 

"  Our  ground  tackle  has  parted,"  said  Tom,  with 
his  resigned  patience  of  manner  undisturbed ;  "  she 
shall  die  as  easy  as  man  can  make  her !"  While  yet 
he  spoke,  he  seized  the  tiller,  and  gave  to  the  vessel 
such  a  direction  as  would  be  most  likely  to  cause  her 
to  strike  the  rocks  with  her  bows  foremost. 


STORIES   Oi    THE   SEA. 

n  the  wreck  0f  iho  Ariel.— Page  9«4. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  265 

There  was  for  one  moment  an  expression  of  ex- 
quisite anguish  betrayed  in  the  dark  countenance  of 
Barnstable ;  but,  at  the  next,  it  passed  away,  and  he 
spoke  cheerfully  to  his  men — 

"  Be  steady,  my  lads,  be  calm  ;  there  is  yet  a  hope 
of  life  for  you — our  light  draught  will  let  us  run  in 
close  to  the  cliffs,  and  it  is  still  falling  water — see  your 
boats  clear,  and  be  steady." 

The  crew  of  the  whale-boat,  aroused  by  this  speech 
from  a  sort  of  stupor,  sprang  into  their  light  vessel, 
which  was  quickly  lowered  into  the  sea,  and  kept  rid- 
ing on  the  foam,  free  from  the  sides  of  the  schooner, 
by  the  powerful  exertions  of  the  men.  The  cry  for 
the  cockswain  was  earnest  and  repeated,  but  Tom 
shook  his  head  without  replying,  still  grasping  the 
tillei",  and  keeping  his  eyes  steadily  bent  on  the  chaos 
of  waters  into  which  they  were  driving.  The  launch, 
the  largest  boat  of  the  two,  was  cut  loose  from  the 
"gripes,"  and  the  bustle  and  exertion  of  the  moment 
rendered  the  crew  insensible  to  the  horror  of  the 
scene  that  surrounded  them.  But  the  loud,  hoarse 
call  of  the  cockswain,  to  "look  out — secure  your- 
selves l'1  suspended  even  their  efforts,  and  that  in- 
stant the  Ariel  settled  <>n  a  wave  that  melted  from 
under  her  heavily  on  the  rocks.  The  shock  was  so 
violent  as  to  throw  all  who  disregarded  the  warning: 
cry  from  their  feet,  and  the  universal  quiver  that  per- 
vaded the  vessel  was  like  the  last  shudder  of  animated 
nature.  For  a  time  long  enough  to  breathe,  the 
least  experienced  among  the  men  supposed  the  danger 
to  be  passed;  but  a  wave  of  great  height  followed  the 


266  STOKIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

one  that  bad  deserted  them,  and  raising  the  vessel 
again,  threw  her  roughly  still  further  on  the  bed  of 
rocks,  and  at  the  same  time  its  crest  broke  over  her 
quarter,  sweeping  the  length  of  her  decks,  with  a  fury 
that  was  almost  resistless.  The  shuddering  seamen 
beheld  their  loosened  boat  driven  from  their  grasp 
and  dashed  against  the  base  of  the  cliffs,  where  no 
fragment  of  her  wreck  could  be  traced,  at  the  reced- 
ing of  the  waters.  But  the  passing  billow  had 
thrown  the  vessel  into  a  position  which,  in  some  meas- 
ure, protected  her  decks  from  the  violence  of  those 
that  succeeded  it. 

"  Go,  my  boys,  go,"  said  Barnstable,  as  the  mo- 
ment of  dreadful  uncertainty  passed;  "you  have  still 
the  whale-boat,  and  she,  at  least,  will  take  you  nigh 
the  shore.  Go  into  her,  my  boys.  God  bless  you, 
God  bless  you  all !  go,  my  friends,  while  there  is  a 
lull." 

The  seamen  threw  themselves,  in  a  mass,  into  the 
light  vessel,  which  nearly  sunk  under  the  unusual 
burden  ;  but  when  they  looked  around  them,  Barn- 
stable and  Merry,  Dillon  and  the  cockswain,  were 
yet  to  be  seen  on  the  decks  of  the  Ariel.  The  former 
was  pacing  the  wet  planks  of  the  schooner,  while  the 
boy  hung,  unheeded,  on  his  arm,  uttering  disregarded 
petitions  to  his  commander,  to  desert  the  wreck. 
Dillon  approached  the  side  where  the  boat  lay,  again 
and  again,  but  the  threatening  countenances  of  the 
seamen  as  often  drove  him  back  in  despair.  Tom 
had  seated  himself  on  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit, 
where  he  continued,  in  an  attitude  of  quiet  resignation. 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  267 

" Now  hear  me,"  said  the  boy,  urging  his  request 
to  tears  ;  "  if  not  for  my  sake,  or  for  your  own 
sake,  Mr.  Barnstable,  or  for  the  hopes  of  God's 
mercy,  go  into  the  boat,  for  the  love  of  my  cousin 
Katherine." 

The  young  lieutenant  paused  in  his  troubled  walk, 
and  for  a  moment  he  cast  a  glance  of  hesitation  at 
the  cliffs ;  but,  at  the  next  instant,  his  eyes  fell  on  the 
ruin  of  his  vessel,  and  he  answered — 

"  Never,  boy,  never ;  if  my  hour  has  come,  I  will 
not  shrink  from  my  fate." 

"Listen  to  the  men,  dear  sir;  the  boat  will  be 
swamped  alongside  the  wreck,  and  their  cry  is,  that 
without  you  they  will  not  let  her  go." 

Barnstable  motioned  to  the  boat,  to  bid  the  boy 
enter  it,  and  turned  away  in  silence. 

"  Well,"  said  Merry,  with  firmness,  "if  it  be  right 
that  a  lieutenant  shall  stay  by  the  wreck,  it  must  also 
be  right  for  a  midshipman;  shove  off,  neither  Mr. 
Barnstable  cor  myself  will  quit  the  vessel." 

"  Boy,  your  life  lias  been  entrusted  to  my  keeping, 
and  at  my  hands  will  it  be  required,"  said  his  com- 
mander, lifting  the  struggling  youth,  and  tossing  him 
into  the  arms  of  the  seamen.  "Away  with  ye,  and 
God  be  with  you;  there  is  more  weight  in  you,  now, 
than  can  go  sale  to  land." 

Siill  the  seamen  hesitated,  for  they  perceived  the 
cockswain  moving,  with  a  steady  tread,  along  the 
deck,  and  they  hoped  he  had  relented,  and  would 
yet  persuade  the  lieutenant  to  join  his  crew.  Hut 
Tom,  imitating  the  example  of  his  commander,  seized 


288  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

the  latter,  suddenly,  in  his  powerful  grasp,  and 
threw  him  over  the  bulwarks,  with  an  irresistible 
force.  At  the  same  moment,  he  cast  the  fast  of  the 
boat  from  the  pin  that  held  it,  and,  lifting  his  broad 
hands  high  into  the  air,  his  voice  was  heard  in  the 
tempest. 

"  God's  will  be  done  with  me,"  he  cried.  "I  saw 
the  first  timber  of  the  Ariel  laid,  and  shall  live  just 
lono-  enough  to  see  it  turn  out  of  her  bottom;  after 
which  I  wish  to  live  no  longer." 

But  his  shipmates  were  swept  far  beyond  the 
sounds  of  his  voice,  before  half  these  words  were 
uttered.  All  command  of  the  boat  was  rendered  im- 
possible, by  the  numbers  it  contained,  as  well  as  the 
raging  of  the  surf;  and,  as  it  rose  on  the  white  crest 
of  a  wave,  Tom  saw  his  beloved  little  craft  for  the 
last  time.  It  fell  into  a  trough  of  the  sea,  and  in  a 
few  moments  more  its  fragments  were  ground  into 
splinters  on  the  adjacent  rocks.  The  cockswain  still 
remained  where  he  had  cast  off  the  rope,  and  beheld 
the  numerous  heads  and  arms  that  appeared  rising, 
at  short  intervals,  on  the  waves ;  some  making 
powerful  and  well-directed  efforts  to  gain  the  sands, 
that  were  becoming  visible  as  the  tide  fell,  and  others 
wildly  tossed,  in  the  frantic  movements  of  helpless 
despair.  The  honest  old  seaman  gave  a  cry  of  joy, 
as  he  saw  Barnstable  issue  from  the  surf,  bearing  the 
form  of  Merry  in  safety  to  the  sands,  where,  one  by 
one,  several  seamen  soon  appeared  also,  dripping  and 
exhausted. 

Dillon  and  the  cockswain  were  now  the  sole  occu- 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  2G9 

pants  of  their  dreadful  station.  The  former  stood,  in 
a  kind  of  stupid  despair,  a  witness  of  the  scene  we 
have  related ;  but  as  his  curdled  blood  began  again 
to  flow  more  warmly  through  his  heart,  he  crept 
close  to  the  side  of  Tom. 

"  Do  you  still  think  there  is  much  danger  ?"  he 
asked. 

"  To  them  that  have  reason  to  fear  death.  Listen! 
do  you  hear  that  hollow  noise  beneath  ye  ?" 

"'Tis  the  wind,  driving  by  the  vessel!" 

"'Tie  the  poor  thing  herself,"  said  the  affected 
cockswain,  "  giving  her  last  groans.  The  water  is 
breaking  up  her  decks,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more, 
the  handsomest  model  that  ever  cut  a  wave,  will  be 
like  the  chips  that  fell  from  her  timbers  in  framing!" 

"  Why,  then,  did  you  remain  here !"  cried  Dillon, 
wildly. 

"To  die  in  my  coffin,  if  it  should  be  the  will  of 
God,"  returned  Tom.  "  These  waves,  to  me,  are 
what  the  land  is  to  you  ;  I  was  born  on  them,  and  I 
have  always  meant  that  they  should  be  my  grave.'-' 

"But  I — 1,"  shrieked  Dillon,  "I  am  not  ready  to 
die  ! — 1  cannol  die  ! — I  will  not  die !" 

"  Poor  wretch !"  muttered  his  companion;  "you 
must  go  like  the  rest  of  us;  when  the  death-watch 
is  called,  none  can  skulk  from  the  muster." 

"I  can  swim,"  Dillon  continued,  rushing  with  fran- 
tic eagerness  to  the  side  of  the  wreck.  "  Is  there  no 
billet  of  wood,  no  rope  that  I  can  take  with  me  ?" 

"None;  every  thing  has  been  cut  away,  or  car- 
ried oil"  by  the  sea.      If  ye  are  about  to  strive  for  your 


270  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

* 

life,  take  with  ye  a  stout  heart  and  a  clean  conscience, 
and  trust  the  rest  to  God !" 

The  heavy  groaning,  produced  by  the  water  in  the 
timbers  of  the  Ariel,  at  that  moment  added  its  im- 
pulse to  the  raging  feelings  of  Dillon,  and  he  cast 
himself  headlong  into  the  sea. 

The  water,  thrown  by  the  rolling  of  the  surf  on  the 
beach,  was  necessarily  returned  to  the  ocean  in  ed- 
dies, in  different  places  favorable  to  such  an  action  of 
the  element.  Into  the  edge  of  one  of  these  counter- 
currents  that  was  produced  by  the  very  rocks  on 
which  the  schooner  lay,  and  which  the  watermen  call 
the  "  under-tow,"  Dillon  had  unknowingly  thrown  his 
person,  and  when  the  waves  had  driven  him  a  short 
distance  from  the  wreck,  he  was  met  by  a  stream  that 
his  most  desperate  efforts  could  not  overcome.  lie 
was  a  light  and  powerful  swimmer,  and  the  struggle 
was  hard  and  protracted.  With  the  shore  immediate- 
ly before  his  eyes,  at  no  great  distance,  he  was  led,  as 
by  a  false  phantom,  to  continue  his  efforts,  although 
they  did  not  advance  him  a  foot.  The  old  seaman, 
who,  from  his  position  on  the  bowsprit,  at  first  had 
watched  his  motions,  understood  the  danger  of  his 
situation  at  a  glance,  and  shouted  aloud, 

"  Sheer  to-port,  and  clear  the  under-tow  !  sheer  to 
the  southward !" 

Dillon  heard  the  sounds,  but  his  faculties  were  too 
much  obscured  by  terror  to  distinguish  their  object. 
The  current  swept  him  diagonally  by  the  rocks,  and 
he  was  forced  into  an  eddy  where  he  had  nothing  to 
contend  against  but  the  waves,  whose  violence  was 


STORIES    OF   THE   SEA.  271 

much  broken  by  the  wreck.  In  this  state  he  con- 
tinued still  to  struggle,  but  with  a  force  that  was  too 
much  weakened  to  overcome  the  resistance  he  met. 
Tom  looked  around  him  for  a  rope,  but  all  had  gone 
over  with  the  spars,  or  been  swept  away  by  the 
waves.  At  this  moment  his  eyes  met  those  of  the 
desperate  Dillon.  Calm,  and  inured  to  horrors  as 
was  the  veteran  seaman,  he  involuntarily  passed  his 
hand  before  bis  brow,  to  exclude  the  look  of  despair 
he  encountered ;  and  when,  a  moment  afterward,  he 
removed  the  rigid  member,  he  beheld  the  sinking 
form  of  the  victim  as  it  gradually  settled  in  the 
ocean. 

"  lie  will  soon  know  his  God,  and  learn  that  his 
God  knows  him!"  murmured  the  cockswain  to  him- 
self. As  yet  he  spoke,  the  wreck  of  the  Ariel  yielded 
to  an  overwhelming  sea,  and,  after  a  universal  shud- 
der, her  timbers  and  planks  gave  way,  and  were 
swept  toward  the  cliffs,  bearing  the  body  of  the  sim- 
ple-hen rted  cockswain  among  the  ruins. 


272  STOKIES   OF   THE    SEA. 


THE  CRATER ; 

OR,    THE   CKUSOES   OF   THE   PACIFIC. 

The  good  ship  Rancocus,  named  after  an  inlet  of 
the  Delaware,  on  a  voyage  to  the  islands  of  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean,  for  the  purpose  of  exchanging  certain 
commodities  and  Yankee  notions  for  sandal- wood,  ran 
at  night  upon  a  long  line  of  reefs,  supposed  at  the 
time  to  he  coral,  in  a  part  of  the  ocean  where  the 
chart  led  the  navigator  to  look  only  for  open  sea. 
The  ship  was  commanded  by  Captain  Crutchely. 
The  first  mate  was  Mark  Woolston,  who,  with  the 
seaman  Bob  Betts,  were  the  heroes  of  the  incidents 
of  our  story.  Mark  just  previous  to  the  sailing  of 
the  Rancocus  was  married  to  Bridget  Yardley — the 
companion  of  his  youth  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware. 
We  mention  this  circumstance  in  order  to  render 
clear  numerous  allusions  which  occur  in  the  course  of 
the  narrative. 

Mark  Woolston  had  several  times  called  Captain 
Crutchely's  attention  to  what  appeared  to  be  white 
water  ahead,  and  expressed  his  fears  they  were  nearing 
breakers.  To  this,  the  captain  would  not  listen,  and 
the  second  mate,  Ililson,  loudly  scoffed  at  the  idea. 
Mark  had  just  called  the  captain  from  his  berth  dur- 
ing the  night-watch — a  dark  and  windy  night — to 
repeat  to  him  his  fears  on  this  score,  when  the  atmos- 
phere appeared  to  be  suddenly  filled  with  a  strango 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  273 

si^lit :  the  sea  became  white  all  around  them,  and  a 
roar  of  trembling  waters  arose  that  resembled  the 
sound  of  a  small  cataract.  The  ship  was  evidently  in 
the  midst  of  breakers,  and  the  next  moment  she 
struck ! 

The  intense  darkness  of  the  night  added  to  the 
horrors  of  that  awful  moment.  Captain  Crutchely 
jumped  down  on  the  anchor-stock,  and  was  washed 
off  by  a  wave.  The  jolly-boat  was  lowered  with  the 
hope  of  saving  the  captain,  and,  with  six  men  in  her, 
she  passed  ahead  of  the  ship  with  this  benevolent  de- 
sign. Neither  the  captain  nor  the  boat  were  ever 
heard  of.  Meanwhile  the  ship  kept  beating  on  the 
reef,  thumping  against  the  rocks  occasionally,  but 
not  very  severely.  Hilson,  the  second  mate,  secretly 
got  some  provisions,  &c,  into  the  launch.  Mark,  how- 
ever, with  lead-line  in  hand,  was  anxiously  watching 
for  the  moment  when  he  might  safely  drop  the  anchor. 
So  fur,  the  ship  was  tight,  the  pumps  revealing  the 
fact  that  no  water  was  in  the  hold.  After  waiting 
patiently  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  Mark  believed  the 
proper  time  had  come  to  anchor,  and  he  gave  the  or- 
der  to  "let  run."  The  seamen  stationed  at  the  stop- 
per obeyed,  and  down  went  the  anchor.  In  swinging 
t<»,  a  roller  came  down  upon  the  ship  and  broke  on 
board  her.  Hilson  at  that  moment  was  in  the  after 
pari  of  the  ship,  with  a  gang  of  the  seamen  around 
him.  Mark  afterwards  believed  that  the  rush  and 
weight  of  this  sea,  which  did  no  serious  harm,  fright- 
ened the  men  into  the  launch,  and  thai  the  boat  either 
struck  adrift  under  the  power  of  the  roller,  or  that  the 
18 


274:  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

painter  was  imprudently  cast  off  in  the  confusion  of  the 
moment.  lie  had  gone  as  far  as  the  windlass  himself, 
when  the  sea  came  aboard ;  and,  as  soon  as  he  recov- 
ered his  sight  after  the  ducking  he  received,  he  caught 
a  dim  view  of  the  launch,  driving  off  to  leeward,  on 
the  top  of  a  wave.  Hailing  was  useless,  and  he  stood 
gazing  at  the  helpless  boat  until  it  became  lost,  like 
everything  else  that  was  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
ship,  in  the  gloom  of  the  night.  Even  then,  Mark 
was  by  no  means  conscious  of  the  extent  of  the  ca- 
lamity that  had  befallen  him.  It  was  only  when  he 
had  visited  cabin,  steerage,  and  forecastle,  and  called 
the  crew  over  by  name,  that  he  reached  the  grave 
fact  that  there  was  no  one  left  on  board  the  Rancocus 
but  Bob  Betts  and  himself! 

The  reader  may  easily  imagine  with  what  impa- 
tience our  two  mariners  waited  the  slow  return  of 
light.  Each  minute  seemed  an  hour,  and  it  appeared 
to  them  as  if  the  night  was  to  last  forever.  But  the 
earth  performed  its  usual  revolution,  and  by  degrees 
sufficient  light  was  obtained  to  enable  Mark  and  Bob 
to  examine  the  state  of  things  around  them.  No  sign 
of  the  boats  could  be  seen.  It  was  almost  too  terri- 
bly certain  that  all  of  the  crew  of  the  Rancocus  but 
Bob  and  Mark  were  lost.  The  ship  was  found  to 
have  beaten  over  a  succession  of  reefs,  and  appeared 
to  be  locked  within  them,  for  they  were  visible  in  all 
di lections — not  in  continuous  lines,  but  in  detached 
parts;  one  lying  within  another,  as  Bob  had  expressed 
it,  until  the  eye  could  not  reach  their  outer  limits. 
How  the  ship  had  got  so  completely  involved  within 


STORIES   OF   THE   SEA.  275 

their  dangerous  embraces,  without  going  to  pieces  on 
a  dozen  of  the  reefs,  was  a  matter  of  wonder ;  though 
it  sometimes  happens  at  sea  that  dangers  are  thus 
safely  passed  in  darkness  and  fog,  that  no  man  would 
be  bold  enough  to  encounter  in  broad  daylight.  It 
had  been  a  sort  of  miracle  by  which  the  Rancocus  had 
escaped  ;  though  it  was  no  more  easy  to  see  how  she 
was  to  be  got  out  of  her  present  position,  than  it  was 
to  see  how  she  had  got  into  it.  Bob  was  the  first  to 
make  a  remark  on  this  particular  part  of  the  subject. 

"It  will  need  a  reg'lar  branch  here,  Mr.  Mark,  to 
carry  the  old  Rancocus  clear  of  all  them  breakers  to 
sea  again,"  he  cried.  "Our  Delaware  banks  is  just 
so  many  fools  to  'em,  sir !" 

"  It  is  a  most  serious  position  for  a  vessel  to  be  in, 
Bob,"  answered  Mark,  sighing ;  "  nor  do  I  see  how 
we  are  ever  to  get  clear  of  it,  even  should  we  get 
back  men  enough  to  handle  the  ship." 

"  I'm  quite  of  your  mind,  sir,"  answered  Bob,  tak- 
ing out  his  tobacco-box,  and  helping  himself  to  a  quid. 
"Nor  would  I  be  at  all  surprised,  should  there  turn 
out  to  be  a  hit  of  land  to  leeward,  if  you  and  I  was  to 
Robinson  Crusoe  it  for  the  rest  of  our  days.  My 
good  mother  was  always  most  awarse  to  my  follow- 
ing the  s«-a  on  account  of  that  very  danger  ;  most  es- 
pecially from  a  fear  of  the  savages  from  the  islands 
round  about." 

"Do  you  think  it  possible  for  us  two  to  take  care 
of  the  ship,  should  we  even  manage  to  get  her  into 
deep  water  again?" 

"  Well,  that  is  not  so  soon  answered,  Mr.  Wool- 


276  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

ston,"  returned  Bob.  "We're  both  on  ns  stout,  and 
hearty,  and  of  good  courage,  Mr.  Mark ;  but  'twould 
be  a  desperate  long  way  for  two  hands  to  carry  a 
vessel  of  four  hundred  tons,  to  take  the  old  'Cocus 
from  this  here  anchorage,  all  the  way  to  the  coast  of 
America ;  and  short  of  the  coast  there's  no  ra'al  hope 
for  us.  Howsever,  sir,  that  is  a  subject  that  need 
give  us  no  consarn." 

"  I  do  not  see  that,  Bob ;  we  shall  have  to  do  it, 
unless  we  fall  in  with  something  at  sea,  could  we 
only  once  get  the  vessel  out  from  among  these  reefs." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir — could  we  get  her  out  from  among 
these  reefs,  indeed !    There's  the  rub,  Mr.  Woolston." 

"You  think,  then,  we  are  too  fairly  in  for  it,  ever 
to  get  the  ship  clear  ?" 

"  Such  is  just  my  notion,  Mr.  Woolston,  on  that 
subject.  In  my  judgment,  was  poor  Captain  Crutche- 
ly  alive  and  back  at  his  post,  and  all  hands  just  as 
they  were  this  time  twenty-four  hours  since,  and  the 
ship  where  she  is  now,  that  here  she  would  have  to 
stay.  Nothing  short  of  kedging  can  ever  take  the 
vessel  clear  of  the  reefs  to  windward  on  us,  and  man- 
of-wnr  hedging  could  hardly  do  it,  then." 

M  But  what  will  become  of  us  unless  we  get  the 
ship  into  open  water  ?" 

"  Sure  enough,  sir.  I  see  no  other  hope  for  us  but 
to  Robinson  Crusoe  it  awhile." 

"  Robinson  Crusoe  it !"  repeated  Mark,  smiling. 
"Where  are  we  to  find  an  uninhabited  island  on 
which  to  live  after  the  mode  of  Crusoe  ?" 

"There's  a  bit  of  a  reef  to  leeward,  where  I  dare 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  277 

say  a  man  might  pick  up  a  living  after  a  fashion," 
answered  Bob,  coolly;  "then  here  is  the  ship." 

"And  how  long  would  a  hempen  cable  hold  the 
ship  in  a  place  like  this,  where,  every  time  the  vessel 
lifts  to  a  sea,  it  chafes  on  a  rock?  No,  no,  Bob;  the 
ship  cannot  long  remain  where  she  is,  depend  on  that." 

The  reef  to  which  Bob  referred  was  a  portion  of 
the  rock  that  rose  above  the  water,  and  had  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  low,  straggling  island.  It  was  some 
eight  or  ten  miles  distant.  To  this  reef  our  mariners 
resolved  to  proceed  at  once,  and  see  what  could  be 
made  of  it.  The  dingui,  a  small  boat,  was  on  the 
poop,  and  they  got  her  at  once  into  the  water.  It 
was  provided  with  a  small  sail.  They  put  in  provis- 
ion-, and  started,  after  a  hearty  breakfast,  on  their  ex- 
pedition. 

It  is  easy  to  imagine  the  intense  interest  with 
which  our  mariners  approached  this  reef.  The  ap- 
pearances were  anything  but  encouraging,  as  they 
drew  nearer  and  nearer.  It  was  about  a  mile  in 
length,  while  its  breadth  varied  from  half  a  mile  to  less 
than  an  eighth  of  a  mile.  On  its  shores,  the  rock 
along  most  of  the  reef  rose  hut  a  very  few  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  water,  though  at  its  eastern,  or  the 
weather  extremity,  it  might  have  been  of  more  than 
twice  the  visual  height.  In  the  centre  of  the  island 
then-  wa-  a  singular  formation  of  the  rock,  which  ap- 
peared to  rise  to  an  elevation  of  something  like  sixty 
or  eighty  feet,  making  a  sort  of  a  regular  circular 
mound  of  that  height,  which  occupied  no  small  part 
of  the   widest   portion  of  the   island.      Nothing  like 


278  STORIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

tree,  shrub,  or  grass  was  visible,  as  the  boat  drew 
near  enough  to  render  such  things  apparent.  Of 
aquatic  birds  there  were  large  numbers. 

At  length  the  little  dingui  glided  in  quite  near  to 
the  island.  Mark  was  at  first  surprised  to  find  so  lit- 
tle surf  beating  against  even  its  weather  side,  but  this 
was  accounted  for  by  the  great  number  of  the  reefs 
that  lay  for  miles  without  it ;  and,  particularly,  by  the 
fact  that  one  line  of  rock  stretched  directly  across 
this  weather  end,  distant  from  it  only  two  cable's 
lengths,  forming  a  pretty  little  sheet  of  perfectly 
smooth  water  between  it  and  the  island. 

In  approaching  the  place,  both  Mark  and  Bob  had 
strained  their  eyes  in  the  hope  of  seeing  some  proof 
that  their  shipmates  had  been  there ;  but  no  discovery 
rewarded  their  search.  Mark  found  that  he  was 
treading  on  naked  rock  when  he  had  landed,  though 
the  surface  was  tolerably  smooth.  The  rock  itself 
was  of  a  sort  to  which  he  was  unaccustomed ;  and  he 
began  to  suspect,  what  in  truth  turned  out  on  further 
investigation  to  be  the  fact,  that  instead  of  being  on  a 
reef  of  coral,  he  Avas  on  one  of  purely  volcanic  origin. 
Nakedness  and  dreariness  were  the  two  words  which 
best  described  the  island ;  the  only  interruption  to  its 
solitude  and  desolation  being  occasioned  by  the  birds, 
which  now  came  screaming  and  flying  above  the 
heads  of  the  intruders. 

The  mound,  in  the  centre  of  the  reef,  was  an  object 
too  conspicuous  to  escape  attention,  and  our  adven- 
turers approached  it  at  once,  with  the  expectation  of 
getting  a  better  look-out  from  its  summit,  than  that 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  279 

they  had  on  the  lower  level  of  the  surface  of  the  or- 
dinary reef.  Thither,  then,  they  proceeded,  accompa- 
nied by  a  large  night  of  the  birds. 

On  reaching  the  foot  of  this  singular  elevation,  our 
adventurers  found  it  would  not  be  so  easy  a  matter 
as  they  had  fancied  to  ascend  it.  Unlike  the  rest  of 
the  reef  which  they  had  yet  seen,  it  appeared  to  be 
composed  of  a  crumbling  rock,  and  this  so  smooth 
and  perpendicular  as  to  render  it  extremely  difficult 
to  get  up.  A  place  was  found  at  length,  however, 
and  by  lending  each  other  a  hand,  Mark  and  Lob 
finally  got  on  the  summit.  Here  a  surprise  was  ready 
for  them,  that  drew  an  exclamation  from  each.  In- 
stead of*  finding  an  elevated  bit  of  table-rock,  as  had 
been  expected,  a  circular  cavity  existed  within,  that 
Mark  at  once  recognized  to  be  the  extinct  crater  of  a 
volcano !  After  the  first  astonishment  was  over, 
Mark  made  a  close  examination  of  the  place. 

The  mound,  or  barrier  of  lava  and  scoriae  that  com- 
posed the  outer  wall  of  this  crater,  was  almost  math- 
ematically circular.  The  area  within  might  contain 
a  hundred  acres,  while  the  wall  preserved  a  very  even 
height  of  about  sixty  feet,  falling  a  little  below  this  at 
the  Leeward  side,  where  there  existed  one  narrow 
hole,  <>r  passage,  on  a  level  with  the  bottom  of  the 
crater;  a  sort -of  gateway,  by  which  to  enter  and  (|iiit 
tlir  cavity.  This  passage  had  no  doubt  been  formed 
by  the  exit  of  lava,  which  centuries  ago  hail  doubtless 
broken  through  at  this  point,  and  contributed  to  form 
the  visible  reef  beyond.  The  height  of  this  hole  was 
some  twenty   feet,  having  an  arch  above  it,  and  its 


280  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

width  may  have  been  thirty.  "When  Mark  got  to  it, 
which  he  did  by  descending  the  wall  of  the  crater, 
not  without  risk  to  his  neck,  he  found  the  surface  of 
the  crater  very  even  and  unbroken,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  its  having  a  slight  descent  from  the  side  oppo- 
site to  the  outlet,  or  gateway,  to  the  gateway  itself. 
This  inclination  Mark  fancied  was  owing  to  the  cir- 
cumstance that  the  water  of  the  ocean  had  formerly 
entered  at  the  hole,  in  uncommonly  high  tides  and 
tempests,  and  washed  the  ashes  which  had  once 
formed  the  bottom  of  the  crater  toward  the  remote 
parts  of  the  plain.  These  ashes  had  been  converted 
by  time  into  a  soft,  or  friable  rock,  composing  a  stone 
that  is  called  tufa.  Rock,  however,  the  bed  of  the 
crater  could  scarcely  be  yet  considered,  though  it  had 
a  crust  which  bore  the  weight  of  a  man  very  readily, 
in  nearly  every  part  of  it.  Once  or  twice  Mark  broke 
through,  as  one  would  fall  through  rotten  ice,  when 
he  found  his  shoes  covered  with  a  light  dust  that 
much  resembled  ashes. 

That  the  water  sometimes  flowed  into  this  crater 
was  evident  by  a  considerable  deposit  of  salt,  which 
marked  the  limits  of  the  latest  of  these  floods.  This 
salt  had  probably  prevented  vegetation.  The  water, 
however,  never  could  have  entered  from  the  sea,  had 
not  the  lava  which  originally  made  the  outlet  left  a 
sort  of  channel  that  was  lower  than  the  surface  of  the 
outer  rocks,  through  which  the  element  no  doubt  still 
occasionally  entered,  when  the  adjacent  ocean  got  a 
sufficient  elevation. 

Having  completed  this   first  examination   of  the 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  281 

crater,  Mark  and  Bob  next  picked  their  way  again  to 
the  summit  of  its  wall,  and  took  their  seats  directly 
over  the  arch.  Here  they  enjoyed  as  good  a  look-out 
as  the  little  island  afforded,  not  only  of  its  own  sur- 
face, but  of  the  surrounding  ocean.  Mark  now  began 
to  comprehend  the  character  of  the  singular  geologi- 
cal fo:  mat  ion  into  the  midst  of  which  the  Rancocus 
had  been  led,  as  it  might  almost  be  by  the  hand  of 
Providence  itself.  lie  was  at  that  moment  seated  on 
the  topmost  pinnacle  of  a  submarine  mountain  of 
volcanic  origin — submarine  as  to  all  its  elevations, 
heights  and  spaces,  with  the  exception  of  the  crater 
where  he  bad  just  taken  his  stand,  and  the  little  bit 
of  visible  and  venerable  lava,  by  which  it  was  sur- 
rounded. It  is  true  that  this  lava  rose  very  near  the 
surface  of  the  ocean,  in  fifty  places  that  he  could  see 
at  no  great  distance,  forming  the  numberless  breakers 
that  characterized  the  place  ;  but,  with  the  exception 
of  Mark's  Reef,  as  Bob  named  the  principal  island  on 
the  spot — two  or  three  detached  islets — no  other  land 
was  visible,  far  or  Dear, 

As  Mark  sal  there,  on  that  rock  of  concrete  ashes, 

he    speculated    on    the    probable  extent    of  the    shoals 

and  reefs  by  which  he  was  surrounded.  Judging  by 
what  he  then  saw,  he  supposed  that  the  dangers  and 
difficulties  of  the  navigation  must  extend,  in  an  east 

and  wot  direction,  at  least  twelve  marine  leagues; 
while,  in  a  north  and  SOUth,  the  distance  seemed,  to 
be  a  little,  and  a  very  little  less. 

From  the   time   of  reaching  the  reef,  which  is  now 
to  bear  his  name  in  all  future  time,  our  young  seaman 


282  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

had  begun  to  admit  the  bitter  possibility  of  being 
compelled  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  days  on  it.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  state  with  what  bitter  regrets  the 
young  bridegroom  admitted  this  painful  idea  ;  but 
Mark  was  too  manly  and  resolute  to  abandon  himself 
to  despair,  even  at  such  a  moment.  As  for  Bob,  he 
was  a  good  deal  of  a  philosopher  by  nature ;  and, 
having  made  up  his  mind  that  they  were  doomed  to 
"  Robinson  Crusoe  it,"  for  a  few  years  at  least,  he  was 
already  turning  over  in  his  thoughts  the  means  of 
doing  so  to  the  best  advantage. 

"  We  are  fairly  in  for  it,  Mr.  Mark,"  said  Bob, 
"  and  differ  from  Robinson  only  in  the  fact  that  there 
are  two  of  us  ;  whereas  he  was  obliged  to  set  up  for 
himself,  and  by  himself,  until  he  fell  in  with  Friday !" 

"  I  wish  I  could  say  that  was  the  only  difference  in 
our  conditions,  Betts,  but  it  is  very  far  from  being  so. 
In  the  first  place  he  had  an  island,  while  we  have  little 
more  than  a  reef;  he  had  soil,  while  we  have  naked  rock; 
he  had  fresh  water,  and  we  have  none ;  he  had  trees,  while 
we  have  not  even  a  spear  of  grass.  All  these  circum- 
tances  make  out  a  case  most  desperately  against  us." 

"You  speak  truth,  sir;  yet  is  there  light  ahead. 
We  have  a  ship,  sound  and  tight  as  the  day  she 
sailed ;  while  Robinson  lost  his  craft  under  his  feet. 
As  long  as  there  is  a  plank  afloat,  a  true  salt  never 
gives  up." 

"  Ay,  Bob,  I  feel  that,  as  strongly  as  you  can  your- 
self; nor  do  I  mean  to  give  up,  so  long  as  there  is 
reason  to  think  God  has  not  entirely  deserted  us. 
But  that  ship  is  of  no  use,  in  the  way  of  returning 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  283 

to  our  friends  and  home ;  or,  of  no  use  as  a  ship. 
The  power  of  man  could  scarcely  extricate  her  from 
the  reefs  around  her." 

"  It's  a  bloody  bad  berth,"  said  Bob,  "  that  I  must 
allow.  Howsomever,  the  ship  will  be  of  use  in  a 
great  many  ways,  Mr.  Mark,  if  we  can  keep  her 
alloat,  even  where  she  is.  The  water  that's  in  her 
will  last  us  two  a  twelvemonth,  if  we  are  a  little 
particular  about  it;  and  when  the  rainy  season  sets 
in,  we  can  fill  up  for  a  fresh  start.  Then  the  ship' 
will  be  a  house  for  us  to  live  in,  and  a  capital  good 
house,  too.  You  can  live  aft,  sir,  and  I'll  take  my 
swing  in  the  forecastle,  just  as  if  nothing  had  hap- 
pened." 

"  Xo,  no,  Bob  ;  there  is  an  end  of  all  such  distinc- 
tions now.  Misery,  like  the  grave,  brings  all  upon 
a  level.  You  .and  I  commenced  as  messmates,  and 
we  are  likely  to  end  as  messmates.  There  is  a  use 
to  which  tlie  slii|>  may  he  put,  however,  that  you 
have  not  mentioned,  and  to  which  we  must  look  for- 
ward as  our  best  hope  for  this  world.  She  may  be 
broken  up  by  US,  and  we  may  succeed  in  building  a 
craft  large  enough  to  navigate  these  mild  seas,  and  yet 
small  enough  to  be  taken  through,  or  over  the  reel's." 

ul  like  that  idee 'specially  well,  and  will  lend  a 
hand  to  help  you  through  with  it  with  all  my  heart. 
I'm  not  much  of  a  carpenter,  it's  true;  nor  do  I  sup- 
pose  you  are  anything  wonderful  with  the  broad-axe 
and  adze;  hut  two  willing  and  stout  men,  who  has 
got  their  lives  to  save,  can  turn  their  hands  to  al- 
most anything." 


284  STORIES   OF   THE    SEA. 

"I  have  been  thinking,  Boh,"  said  Mark,  "of  the 
possibility  of*  getting  the  ship  safely  down  as  far  as 
this  island.  Could  we  hut  place  her  to  leeward  of 
that  last  reef  off  the  weather  end  of  the  island,  she 
might  lie  there  years,  or  until  she  fell  to  pieces  by 
decay.  If  we  are  to  attempt  building  a  decked  boat, 
or  anything  large  enough  to  ride  out  a  gale  in,  we 
shall  want  more  room  than  the  ship's  deck  to  set  it 
up  in.  Besides,  we  could  never  gjet  a  craft  of  those 
dimensions  off  the  ship's  decks,  and  must,  of  neces- 
sity, build  it  in  some  place  where  it  may  be  launched. 
Our  dingui  would  never  do  to  be  moving  backward 
and  forward,  so  great  a  distance,  for  it  will  carry 
little  more  than  ourselves.  All  things  considered, 
therefore,  I  am  of  opinion  we  can  do  nothing  better 
to  begin  with,  than  to  try  to  get  the  ship  down 
here,  where  we  have  room,  and  may  carry  out  our 
plan  to  some  advantage." 

Bob  assented  at  once  to  this  scheme,  and  sug- 
gested one  or  two  ideas  in  approbation  of  it,  that 
were  new  even  to  Mark.  Thus,  it  was  evident  to 
both,  that  if  the  ship  herself  were  ever  to  get  clear 
of  the  reef,  it  must  be  by  passing  out  to  leeward; 
and  by  bringing  her  down  to  the  island  so  much  would 
be  gained  on  the  indispensable  course.  Thus,  added 
Boh,  she  might  be  securely  moored  in  the  little  bay 
to  windward  of  the  island;  and,  in  the  course  of 
time,  it  was  possible  that  by  a  thorough  examination 
of  the  channels  to  the  westward,  and  by  the  use  of 
buoys,  a  passage  might  be  found,  after  all,  that 
would  carry  them  out  to  f>ea.     Mark  saw  many  ad- 


STORIES    OF   TITE    SEA.  235 

vantages  in  this  plan  of  removing  the  ship,  that  in- 
creased in  number  and  magnitude  the  more  lie  thought 
on  the  subject.  Security  to  the  fresh  water  was  one 
great  object  to  be  attained.  Should  it  come  on  to 
blow,  and  the  ship  drift  down  upon  the  rocks  to  lee- 
ward of  her,  she  would  probably  go  to  pieces  in  an 
hour  or  two,  when  not  only  all  the  other  ample  stores 
thai  she  contained,  but  every  drop  of  sweet  water  at 
the  command  of  the  two  seamen,  would  inevitably 
be  lost.  After  talking  over  these  several  points  still 
more  at  large,  Mark  and  Bob  descended  from  the 
summit  of  the  crater,  made  half  of  its  circuit,  and  re- 
turned to  their  boat. 

As  the  day  continued  calm,  Mark  was  in  no  hurry, 
but  passed  half  an  hour  in  sounding  the  little  bay  that 
was  formed  by  the  sunken  rocks  that  lay  off  the  east- 
ern, or  went  her  end  of  the  reef  Here  he  not  only 
found  abundance  of  water  for  all  he  wanted,  but  to 
his   surprise  he  also  found  a  sandy  bottom,  formed  no 

doubt  by  the  particles  washed  from  the  surrounding 
rocks  under  the  never-ceasing  abrasion  of  the  waves. 
On  tli^  submerged  reef  there  were  only  a  few  indies 
of  water,  and  our  mariners  saw  clearly  that  it  was 
able  to  secure  the  ship  in  this  basin,  in  a  very  ef- 
fect ual  manner. 

After  surveying  the  basin  itself,  with  sufficient 
care,  1  Job  pulled  the  dingui  back  toward  the  ship, 
Mark  Bounding  a-  they  proceeded.  But  two  diffi- 
culties weii-  found  between  the  points  that  it  was  so 
desirable  to  bring  in  communication  with  each  other. 
One  of  these  difficulties  consisted  in   a  passage  be- 


286  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

tween  two  lines  of  reef,  that  ran  nearly  parallel  for 
a  quarter  of -a  mile,  and  Avhich  were  only  half  a  cable's 
length  asunder.  There  was  abundance  of  water  be- 
tween  these  reefs,  but  the  difficulty  was  in  the  course 
and  in  the  narrowness  of  the  passage.  Mark  passed 
through  the  latter  four  several  times,  sounding  it,  as 
it  might  be,  foot  by  foot. 

The  second  obstacle  was  much  more  serious  than 
that  just  described.  It  was  a  reef  with  a  good  deal 
of  water  over  most  of  it ;  so  much,  indeed,  that  the 
sea .  did  not  break,  unless  in  heavy  gales,  but  not 
enough  to  carry  a  ship  like  the  Rancocusover,  except 
in  one,  and  that  a  very  contracted  pass,  of  less  than  a 
hundred  feet  in  width.  This  channel  it  would  be  in- 
dispensably necessary  to  buoy,  since  a  variation  from 
the  true  course  of  only  a  few  fathoms  Avould  infal- 
libly produce  the  loss  of  the  ship.  All  the  rest  of 
the  distance  was  easily  enough  made  by  a  vessel 
standing  down,  by  simply  taking  care  not  to  run 
into  visible  breakers. 

Mark  and  Bob  did  not  get  back  to  the  Rancocus 
until  near  three  o'clock.  They  found  everything  as 
they  had  left  it,  and  the  pigs,  poultry  and  goat  glad 
enough  to  see  them,  and  beginning  to  want  their 
victuals  and  drink.  The  two  first  are  to  be  found  on 
board  of  every  ship,  but  the  last  is  not  quite  so  usual. 
Captain  Crutchely  had  brought  one  along  to  supply 
milk  for  his  tea,  a  beverage  he  was  very  fond  of. 
After  Bob  had  attended  to  the  wants  of  the  brute 
animals,  he  and  Mark  again  sat  down  on  the  windlass 
to  make  another  cold  repast  on  broken  meat — as  yet, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  287 

they  had  not  the  hearts  to  cook  anything.  As  soon 
as  this  homely  meal  was  taken,  Mark  placed  a  conple 
of  buoys  in  the  dingui,  with  the  pig-iron  that  Avas 
necessary  to  anchor  them,  and  proceeded  to  the  spot 
on  the  reef  where  it  was  proposed  to  place  them. 

Our  mariners  were  quite  an  hour  in  searching  for 
the  channel,  and  near  another  in  anchoring  the  buoys 
in  a  way  to  render  the  passage  perfectly  safe.  As 
soon  as  this  was  done,  Bob  pulled  back  to  the  ship  as 
fast  as  he  could,  for  there  was  every  appearance  of  a 
change  of  weather,  and  Mark  was  determined  to 
attempt  his  difficult  task  at  once.  "With  great  vigi- 
lance, care  and  skill,  our  mariners  succeeded  in  guid- 
ing the  ship  through  the  intricate  channels,  and 
anchoring  her  within  the  basin.  When  this  Avas 
done,  the  ship  lay  just  mid-channel,  between  the 
island  and  the  seaside  without.  Then  Bob  took 
off  his  tarpaulin,  and  gave  three  cheers,  while  Mark 
walked  aft,  silently  returning  thanks  to  God  for  the 
complete  sneers-,  of  this  important  movement. 

Importanl  must  truly  was  this  change.  Not  only 
was  the  ship  anchored,  with  her  heaviest  anchor 
down,  ami  her  besl  cable  out,  in  good  holding-ground, 
and  in  a  basin  where  very  little  swell  ever  penetrated, 
hut  there  she  was  within  a  hundred  and  lil'ty  feet  of 
the  island,  at  all  times  accessible  by  means  of  the 
dingui,  a  boat  that  it  would  not  do  to  trust  in  the 
water  at  all  outside  when  it  blew  in  the  least  fresh. 
In  short,  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  have  a  vessel  in  a 
safer  berth,  or  one  that  was  more  convenient  to  those 
who  used  the  island. 


288  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

Well  might  Mark  and  Bob  rejoice  in  the  feat  they 
had  just  performed.  That  night  it  blew  so  heavily 
as  to  leave  little  doubt  that  the  ship  never  could  have 
been  kept  at  her  anchor,  outside.  The  rollers  came 
down  in  tremendous  billows,  breaking  and  roaring  on 
all  sides  of  the  island,  rendering  the  sea  white  with 
their  foam,  even  at  midnight ;  but,  on  reaching  the 
massive,  natural  wall  that  protected  the  Rancocus, 
they  dashed  themselves  into  spray  against  it,  wetting 
the  vessel  from  her  truck  down,  but  doing  her  no 
injury.  Mark  remained  on  deck  until  past  twelve 
o'clock,  when,  finding  that  the  gale  was  already 
breaking,  he  turned  in  and  slept  soundly  until  morn- 
ing. 

Their  breakfast  that  morning,  which  included  some 
very  respectable  ship's  coffee,  was  taken  on  the  cabin- 
table,  the  day  being  cloudless,  and  the  sun's  rays 
possessing  a  power  that  made  it  unpleasant  to  sit 
long  anywhere  out  of  a  shade.  While  the  meal  was 
taken,  another  conversation  was  held  touching  their 
situation. 

"  By  the  maimer  in  which  it  blew  last  night," 
Mark  observed,  "  I  doubt  if  we  should  have  had  this 
comfortable  cabin  to  eat  in  this  morning,  and  these 
good  articles  to  consume,  had  we  left  the  ship  outside 
until  morning." 

"  I  look  upon  it  as  a  good  job  well  done,  Mr. 
Mark,"  answered  Bob.  "  I  must  own  I  had  no  great 
hopes  of  our  ever  getting  here,  but  was  willing  to  try 
it ;  for  them  rollers  didn't  mind  half-a-dozen  reefs, 
but  came  tumbling  in  over  them,  in  a  way  to  threaten 


STORIES    OF   TIIE    SEA.  2S9 

the  old  'Cocus  with  being  ground  into  powder.  For 
my  part,  sir,  I  thank  God,  from  the  bottom  of  my 
heart,  that  we  are  here." 

"  You  have  reason  to  do  so,  Bob ;  and  while  we 
may  both  regret  the  misfortune  that  has  befallen  us, 
we  had  need  remember  how  much  better  off  we  are 
than  our  shipmates,  poor  fellows!  —  or  how  much 
better  we  are  off  than  many  a  poor  mariner  who  loses 
his  vessel  altogether." 

"  Yes,  the  saving  of  the  ship  is  a  great  thing  for 
us.  We  can  hardly  call  this  a  shipwreck,  Mr.  Mark, 
though  we  have  been  ashore  once ;  it  is  more  like 
being  docked,  than  any  thing  else !  Why,  we  have 
water,  in  plenty,  until  after  the  rainy  season  shall  be 
along,  when  we  can  catch  a  fresh  supply.  Then, 
there  is  beet*  and  pork  enough  betwixt  decks  to  last 
you  and  me  five  or  six  years ;  and  bread  and  Hour  in 
good  quantities,  to  say  nothing  of  lots  of  small  stores, 
both  forward  and  aft." 

"  The  ship  is  well-found,  and,  as  you  say,  Ave  might 
live  a  long  time,  years  certainly,  on  the  food  she  con- 
tains. There  is,  however,  one  thing  to  be  dreaded, 
and  to  provide  againsl  which  shall  he  my  first  care. 
"We  are  now  fifty  days  on  salted  provisions,  and  fifty 
more  will  give  us  both  the  scurvy." 

"The  Lord  in  His  mercy  protect  me  from  that  dis- 
ease!" exclaimed  Bob.  "But  there  must  be  fish  in 
plenty  among  these  rocks,  Mr.  Mark,  ami  we  have  a 
good  stock  of  bread.  By  dropping  the  beef  and 
pork,  for  a  few  days  at  a  time,  might  we  not  get  shut 
of  the  danger  ?" 
19 


290  STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

"  Fish  will  help  us,  but  man  requires  mixed  food, 
meats  and  vegetables,  to  keep  him  healthy ;  and 
nothing  is  so  good  for  the  scurvy  as  the  last.  The 
worst  of  our  situation  is  a  want  of  soil,  to  grow  any 
vegetables  in.  I  did  not  see  so  much  as  a  rush,  or 
the  coarsest  sea-plant,  when  we  were  on  the  island 
yesterday.  If  we  had  soil,  there  is  seed  in  plenty  on 
board,  and  this  climate  would  bring  forward  vegeta- 
tion at  a  rapid  rate." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir ;  and  I'll  tell  you  what  I've  got  in  the 
way  of  seeds,  myself.  You  may  remember  the 
delicious  musk  and  water-melons  we  fell  in  with  last 
vVge,  in  the  East.  Well,  sir,  I  saved  some  of  the 
seed,  thinking  to  give  it  to  my  brother,  who  is  a 
Jarsey  farmer,  you  know,  sir;  and,  sailor-like,  I  for- 
got it  altogether,  when  in  port.  If  a  fellow  could 
get  but  a  bit  of  earth  to  put  them  melon-seeds  in, 
we  might  be  eating  our  fruit  like  gentlemen,  two 
months  hence,  or  three  months,  at  the  latest." 

"  That  is  a  good  thought,  Betts,  and  we  will  turn 
it  over  in  our  minds.  If  such  a  thing  is  to  be  done 
at  all,  the  sooner  it  is  done  the  better,  that  the 
melons  may  be  getting  ahead  while  we  are  busy 
with  the  other  matters.  This  is  just  the  season  to 
put  seed  into  the  ground,  and  I  think  we  might 
make  soil  enough  to  sustain  a  few  hills  of  melons. 
If  I  remember  right,  too,  there  are  some  of  the 
sweet  potatoes  left." 

Bob  assented,  and  during  the  rest  of  the  meal  they 
did  nothing  but  pursue  this  plan  of  endeavoring  to 
obtain  half-a-dozen  or  a  dozen  hills  of  melons.     Ac- 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  291 

cordingly,  as  soon  as  the  breakfast  was  ended,  Mark 
went  to  collect  his  seeds. 

There  were  four  slioats  on  hoard,  which  had  been 
kept  in  the  launch,  until  that  boat  was  put  into  the  water, 
night  the  Rancocus  ran  upon  the  rocks.  Since  that 
the  time  they  had  been  left  to  run  about  the  decks, 
producing  a  good  deal  of  dirt,  and  some  confusion. 
These  sboats  Bob  now  caught,  and  dropped  into  the 
bay,  knowing  that  their  instinct  would  induce  them 
to  swim  for  the  nearest  land.  All  this  turned  out  as 
w:is  expected,  and  the  pigs  were  soon  seen  on  the  isl- 
and, snuffing  on  the  rocks,  and  trying  to  root.  A 
small  quantity  of  the  excrement  of  these  animals  still 
lay  on  the  deck,  where  it  had  been  placed  when  the 
launch  was  cleaned  for  service,  no  one  thinking  at 
such  a  tnomenl  of  cleaning  the  decks.  This  manure 
Mark  was  aboul  to  put  in  a  half-barrel,  in  order  to 
carry  it  ashore,  for  the  purpose  of  converting  it  into 
soil,  when  Bob  told  him  that  he  knew  where  a  manure 
Worth  two  of  that  was  to  be  found.  Bob,  who  had 
reral  voyages  on  the  western  coasl  of  America, 
told  Mark  that  the  Peruvians  and  Chilians  made  great 
of  the  dung  of  aquatic  birds,  as  a  manure,  and 
which  they  found  on  the  rocks  that  lined  their  coast. 
Now  two  or  three  rocks  lay  near  the  reef,  thai  W(  re 
covered  with  this  deposit,  the  birds  still  hovering  about 
them,  and  he  proposed  to  take  the  dingui,  and  go  in 
quesl  of  a  little  of  that  fertilizing  manure. 

h  is  scarcely  aecessary  to  say  that  Bob  had  fallen  on 
a  knowledge  of  the  Use  of  the  article  which  is  now 
so  extensively  known  under  the  name  of  guano. 


202  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

While  our  young  mate  was  getting  the  boat  ready, 
therefore,  Bob  collected  his  tools,  provided  himself 
with  a  bucket,  passed  the  half-barrel,  into  which  Mark 
had  thrown  the  sweepings  of  the  decks,  into  the  dingui, 
and  descended  himself  and  took  the  sculls.  The  two 
then  proceeded  to  Bob's  rock,  where,  amid  the  screams 
of  a  thousand  sea-birds,  the  honest  fellow  tilled  his 
bucket  with  as  good  guano  as  was  ever  found  on  the 
coast  of  Peru. 

While  the  boat  was  at  the  rock,  Mark  saw  that  the 
pigs  had  run  round  to  the  western  end  of  the  island, 
snuffing  at  everything  that  came  in  their  way,  and 
trying  in  vain  to  root  wherever  one  of  them  could  in- 
sert his  nose.  As  a  hog  is  a  particularly  sagacious 
animal,  Mark  kept  his  eyes  on  them  while  Bob  was 
picking  out  his  guano,  in  the  faint  hope  that  they 
might  discover  fresh  water,  by  means  of  their  instinct. 
In  this  way  he  saw  them  enter  the  gate-way  of  the 
crater,  pigs  being  pretty  certain  to  run  their  noses  into 
any  such  place  as  that. 

On  landing,  Mark  took  a  part  of  the  tools  and  the 
bucket  of  guano,  while  Bob  shouldered  the  remainder, 
and  they  went  up  to  the  hole,  and  entered  the  crater 
together.  To  Mark's  great  delight  he  found  that  the 
pigs  were  now  actually  rooting  with  some  success,  so 
far  as  stirring  the  surface  was  concerned,  though  get- 
ing  absolutely  nothing  for  their  pains.  There  were 
spots  on  the  plain  of  the  crater,  however,  where  it 
was  possible,  by  breaking  a  sort  of  crust,  to  get  down 
into  coarse  ashes  that  were  not  entirely  without  some 
of  the  essentials  of  soil.    Exposure  to  the  air  and 


STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA.  203 

water,  with  mixing  up  with  seaweed  and  such  other 
waste  materials  as  he  could  collect,  the  young  man 
fancied  would  enable  him  to  obtain  a  sufficiency  of 
earthy  substances  to  sustain  the  growth  of  plants. 
While  on  the  summit  of  the  crater-wall,  he  had  seen 
two  or  three  places  where  it  had  struck  him  sweet- 
potatoes  and  beans  might  be  made  to  grow,  and  he 
determined  to  ascend  to  those  spots,  and  make  his 
e^say  there,  as  being  the  most  removed  from  the  in- 
roads of  the  pig>. 

Our  two  mariners  had  come  ashore  well  provided 
with  the  means  of  carrying  out  their  plans.  The 
Rancocus  was  far  better  provided  with  tools  suited  to 
the  uses  of  the  land  than  was  common  for  ships,  her 
voyage  contemplating  a  long  stay  among  the  islands 
she  was  to  visit.  Thus,  axes  and  picks  were  not 
wanting,  Captain  Crutchely  having  hud  on  eye  to  the 
possible  necessity  of  fortifying  himself  against  savag<  s. 
Mark  now-  ascended  the  erater-wall  with  a  pick  on  his 
shoulder,  and  a  part  of  :i  coil  of  ratlin-stuff  around 

hi-  neck.      As    he  went  up,  lie    used  the  pick  to  make 

steps,  and  did  s ueli  in   that   way,  in   the   course  of 

ten  minutes,  as  greatly  to  facilitate  the  ascent  and  de- 
scent at  the  particular  place  he  had  selected.  Once 
on  the  summit,  he  found  a  part  of  the  rock  that  over- 
hung its  base,  and  dropped  one  end  of  his  line  into 
the  crater.  To  this  Boh  attached  the  bucket,  which 
Mark  hauled  up  and  emptied.  In  this  manner  every- 
thing was  transferred  to  the  top  of  the  crater-wall 
that  was  needed   there,  when  Boh  went  down  to  the 


204  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

dinguito  roll  up  the  half-barrel  of  sweepings  that  had 
been  brought  from  the  ship. 

Mark  next  looked  about  for  the  places  which  had 
seemed  to  him,  on  his  previous  visit,  to  have  most  of 
the  character  of  soil.  These  places  he  first  picked  to 
pieces  with  his  pick.;  then  he  stirred  them  well  up 
with  a  hoe,  scattering  a  little  guano  in  the  heaps,  ac- 
cording to  the  directions  of  Betts.  When  this  was 
done,  he  sent  down  the  bucket,  and  hauled  up  the 
sweepings  of  the  deck,  which  Bob  had  ready  for  him 
below.  Nor  was  this  all  Bob  had  done  during  the 
hour  Mark  was  at  work,  in  the  sun,  on  the  summit  of 
the  crater.  He  had  found  a  large  deposit  of  sea-weed, 
on  a  rock  near  the  island,  and  had  made  two  or  three 
trips  with  the  dingui,  back  and  forth,  to  transfer  some 
of  it  to  the  crater.  After  all  his  toil  and  trouble,  the 
worthy  fellow  did  not  get  more  than  a  hogshead  full 
of  this  new  material,  but  Mark  thought  it  well  worth 
Avhile  to  haul  it  up,  and  to  endeavor  to  mix  it  with  his 
compost. 

Bob  now  joined  his  friend  on  the  crater-wall,  and 
assisted  in  carrying  the  sea-weed  to  the  places  pre- 
pared to  receive  it,  when  both  of  the  mariners  next 
set  about  mixing  it  up  with  the  other  ingredients  of 
the  intended  soil.  After  working  for  another  hour  in 
this  manner,  they  were  of  opinion  that  they  might 
make  the  experiment  of  putting  in  the  seed.  Melons, 
of  both  sorts,  and  of  the  very  best  quality,  were  now 
put  into  the  ground,  as  were  also  beans,  peas,  and 
Indian-corn,  or  maize.  A  few  cucumber-seeds,  and 
some  onions  were  also  tried,  Captain  Crutchely  hav- 


STOEIES    OF   TIIE    SEA.  205 

ing  brought  with  him  a  considerable  quantity  of  the 
common  garden  seeds,  as  a  benefit  conferred  on-  the 
natives  of  the  islands  he  intended  to  visit,  and  through 
them  on  future  navigators. 

It  was  dinner-time  before  Mark  and  Betts  were 
ready  to  quit  the  "Summit,"  as  they  now  began  to 
t  nu  the  only  height  in  their  solitary  domains.  Bob 
had  foreseen  the  necessity  ot  'a  shade,  and  had  thrown 
an  old  royal  into  the  boat.  With  this,  and  two  or 
three  Light  spars,  he  contrived  to  make  a  sort  of 
canopy,  down  in  the  crater,  beneath  which  he  and 
Mark  dined,  and  took  their  siestas.  While  resting 
on  a  spare  studding-sail  that  had  also  been  brought 
along,  the  mariners  talked  over  what  they  had  done, 
and  what  it  might  he  best  to  undertake  next. 

At  two  o'clock  Mark  and  Bob  resumed  their  work. 
The  latter  suggested  the  necessity  of  getting  food 
and  water  ashore  for  the  pigs,  as  an  aet  that  human- 
ity imperiously  demanded  of  them  ;  Mark  assented 
as  to  I  lie  food,  but  was  of  opinion  a  thunder-shower 
was  aboul  to  pass  over  the  reef  The  weather  cer- 
tainly d'nl  wear  this  aspect,  and  Boh  was  content  to 
wait  the  result,  in  order  to  save  himself  unnecessary 
trouble.  As  for  the  pigs,  they  were  still  in  the  crater, 
rooting,  as  it  mighl  be  lor  life  or  death,  though  noth- 
ing edible  had  as  pel  rewarded  them  lor  their  toil. 
Seeing  them  al  WQrk  in  this  manner,  suggested  to 
.Mark  to  try  another  experiment.  Among  the  seeds 
of  Captain  Orutchely  were  those  of  oranges,  lemons, 

limes,  shaddocks,    figs,    and    grapes ;     all    plants    well 

enough  suited  to  the  place,  if  there  were  only  soil  to 


296  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

nourish  them.  Jfow,  one  of  the  hogs  had  been  root- 
ing, as  best  he  might,  just  under  the  wall,  making  a 
long  row  of  little  hillocks  of  earthy  ashes,  at  unequal 
distances  it  is  true.  Along  this  irregular  row  of  hil- 
locks did  Mark  bury  his  seeds,  willing  to  try  an  ex- 
periment which  might  possibly  benefit  some  other 
human  being,  if  it  never  did  any  good  to  himself. 
When  this  was  done,  he  and  Betts  left  the  crater, 
driving  the  hogs  out  before  them. 

Having  made  his  plantation,  Mark  felt  a  natural 
desire  to  preserve  it.  He  got  the  royal,  therefore, 
and  succeeded  in  fastening  it  up  as  a  substitute  for  a 
gate,  in  their  natural  gate-way.  Had  the  pigs  met 
with  any  success  in  rooting,  it  is  not  probable  this 
slight  obstacle  would  have  prevented  their  finding 
their  way,  again,  into  the  cavity  of  the  crater ;  but, 
as  it  was,  it  proA- ed  all-sufficient. 

The  appearances  of  the  thunder-shower  were  so 
much  increased  by  this  time,  that  our  mariners 
hastened  back  to  the  ship  in  order  to  escape  a  duck- 
ing. They  had  hardly  got  on  board  before  the  gust 
came,  a  good  deal  of  water  falling.  In  an  hour  it 
was  all  over,  the  sun  coining  out  bright  and  scorch- 
ing, after  the  passage  of  the  gust.  Bob  now  sug- 
gested the  expediency  of  carrying  out  their  heaviest 
kedge  ashore,  of  planting  it  in  the  rocks,  and  of  run- 
ning out  to  it  two  or  three  parts  of  a  hawser,  to 
which  a  line  of  planks  might  be  lashed,  and  thus  give 
them  the  means  of  entering  and  quitting  the  ship, 
without  having  recourse  to  the  dingui.  Mark  ap- 
proved of  this  plan,  and,  it  requiring  a  raft  to  carry 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  297 

ashore  the  kedge,  the  dingui  being  so  light  they  were 
afraid  to  trust  it,  it  was  decided  to  commence  that 
work  in  the  morning.  For  the  rest  of  the  present 
day  nothing  further  was  done,  beyond  light  and  nec- 
essary jobs,  and  continuing  the  examination  of  the 
island.  Mark  was  curious  to  look  at  the  effect  of  the 
shower,  both  in  reference  to  his  plantations,  and  to 
the  quantity  of  fresh  water  that  might  have  lodged 
on  the  reef.  It  was  determined,  therefore,  to  pass 
an  hour  or  two  ashore  before  the  night  shut  in 
again. 

Previously  to  quitting  the  ship,  Bob  spoke  of  the 

poultry.     There  were  but  six  hens,  a  cock,  and  five 

ducks  left.     They  were  all  as  low  in  flesh  and  spirits, 

as  it   is    usual  to  find  birds  that  have  been  at  sea 

fifty  days,  and  the  honest  tar  proposed  turning  them 

all  adrift  on  the  reef,  to  make  their  own  living  in  the 

best  way  they  could.     Now  and  then  a  little  food 

might  be  put  in  their  way,  but  let  them  have  a  chance 

for  their  lives.     Mark  assented  at  once,  and  the  coops 

were  opened.     Each  fowl  was  carried  to  the  taffrail, 

and  tossed  into  the  air,  when  it  flew  down  upon  the 

reef,  a  distance  of  a  couple  of  hundred  feet,  almost  as 

a   matter  of  course.      Glad  enough  were   the  poor 

things  to  be  thus  liberated.     Bob  caught  the  ducks, 

and   tossed   them   overboard,  when  they  floundered 

about  and  enjoyed  themselves  in  a  way  that  comma- 

nicated  a  certain  pleasure  even  to  the  desolate  and 

shipwrecked    men    who    had    set    them    at     liberty. 

Nothing  with  life  now  remained  in  the  ship  but  the 

goat,  and  .Mark   thought   it  best  not   to   turn  her 


298  stories  or  the  sea. 

ashore  until  they  had  greater  facilities  for  getting  the 
necessary  food  to  her  than  the  dingni  afforded. 

On  lauding,  every  hole  in  the  face  of  the  cliff  was 
found  tilled  with  fresh  water.  Betts  was  of  opinion 
that  the  water-casks  might  all  be  filled  with  the  water 
which  was  thus  collected,  the  fluid  having  seemingly 
all  flowed  into  these  receptacles,  while  little  had  gone 
into  the  sea.  This  was  encouraging  for  the  future,  at 
any  rate ;  the  want  of  water,  previously  to  this 
shower,  appearing  to  Mark  to  be  a  more  probable 
occurrence  than  the  want  of  food.  The  sea  might 
furnish  the  last,  on  an  emergency,  while  it  could  do 
nothing  with  the  first. 

The  rain  had  certainly  done  no  harm,  as  yet,  to  the 
]  hinting.  All  the  hills  were  entire,  as  Mark  and  Bob 
had  left  them,  though  well  saturated  with  water.  In 
a  few,  there  might  be  even  too  much  of  the  element, 
perhaps,  but  Mark  observed  that  a  tropical  sun  would 
soon  remove  that  objection.  His  great  apprehension 
was,  that  he  had  commenced  his  gardening  too  late, 
and  that  the  dry  weather  might  set  in  too  soon  for 
the  good  of  his  vegetables.  Here  was  one  good 
soaking  secured,  at  all  events. 

That  night  our  mariners  had  a  sounder  sleep  than 
they  had  yet  been  blest  with  since  the  loss  of  their 
shipmates,  and  the  accident  to  the  vessel  itself.  The 
two  following  days  they  passed  in  carrying  out  Bob's 
plan  for  arranging  a  plank-way  from  the  ship  to  the 
reef.  A  raft  was  built,  the  anchors  were  got  on 
shore,  the  planks  lashed  on  the  stretchers,  and  a  clear 
passage  from  the  shore  thus  secured.     Another  object 


STORIES    OF   THE   SEA.  299 

in  view  by  our  mariners  was  the  more  effectual 
securing  of  the  ship,  her  former  position  rendering  it 
possible  that,  in  a  heavy  blow,  she  would  chafe  badly 
against  the  rocks  of  the  basin.  All  this  occupied 
nearly  two  days,  and  was  not  got  through  with  until 
about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day. 
It  was  Saturday,  and  Mark  had  determined  to  make 
a  good  beginning,  and  keep  all  their  Sabbaths,  in 
future,  as  holy  times,  set  apart  for  the  special  service 
of  the  Creator.  When  the  two  knocked  off  work, 
Saturday  afternoon,  therefore,  it  was  with  an  under- 
standing that  the  next  day  was  to  be  one  of  rest  hi 
the  sense  of  Christians,  and,  from  that  time  hence- 
forth, that  the  Sabbath  was  to  be  kept  as  a  holy 
day. 

While  Mark  went  rambling  around  his  narrow  do- 
mains, Bob  got  the  dingui,  and  proceeded  with  his 
fishing-tackle  toward  some  of  the  naked  rocks,  that 
lifted  their  caps  above  the  surface  of  the  sea.  Of 
these  naked  rocks  there  were  near  twenty,  all  within 
a  mile  of  the  crater,  and  the  largest  of  them  not  con- 
taining more  than  six  or  eight  acres  of  dry  surface. 
Some  were  less  than  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter. 
Bettfi  was  very  loud  of  fishing,  and  could  pass  whole 
days,  at  a  time,  in  that  quiet  amusement,  provided  he 
had  a  sufficient  supply  of  tobacco.  Indeed,  one  of 
the  greatesl  consolations  this  man  possessed,  under 
the  present  misfortune,  was  the  ample  store  of  this 
weed  which  was  to  be  found  in  the  ship. 

Just  as  the  sun  was  Betting,  Bob  returned  from  his 
fishing  excursion.    To  Mark's  surprise,  he  saw  that 


300  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

the  dingui  floated  almost  with  her  gunwale-to,  and 
he  hastened  down  to  meet  his  friend,  who  came 
ashore  in  a  little  bay,  quite  near  the  gate-way,  and  in 
which  the  rock  did  not  rise  as  much  like  a  wall  as  it 
did  on  most  of  the  exterior  of  the  reef.  Boh  had 
caught  about  a  dozen  fish,  some  of  which  were  of 
considerable  size.  Selecting  two  of  the  most  promis- 
ing-looking, for  their  own  use,  he  threw  the  others  on 
the  rocks,  where  the  pigs  and  poultry  might  give 
them  a  trial.  Nor  was  it  long  before  these  creatures 
were  hard  at  work  on  them,  disregarding  the  scales 
and  fins.  This  experiment  satisfied  the  mariners  that 
there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  furnishing  plenty  of 
food  for  all  their  stock,  and  for  any  length  of  time, 
Kitty  excepted. 

But  the  principal  cargo  of  the  dingui  was  not  the 
dozen  fish  mentioned.  Bob  had  nearly  filled  the  boat 
with  a  sort  of  vegetable  loam,  that  he  had  found 
lodged  in  the  cavity  of  one  of  the  largest  rocks,  and 
which,  from  the  signs  around  the  place,  he  supposed 
to  have  been  formed  by  deposits  of  sea-weed.  By  an 
accident  of  nature,  this  cavity  in  the  rock  received  a 
current,  which  carried  large  quantities  of  floating 
weed  into  it,  while  every  storm  probably  had  added 
to  its  stores  since  the  mass  had  risen  above  the  com- 
mon level  of  the  sea,  by  throwing  fresh  materials  on 
to  the  pile,  by  means  of  the  waves,  nothing  quitting 

it. 

"  How  much  of  this  muck  do  you  suppose  is  to  be 
found  on  your  rock,  Bob  ?"  asked  Mark,  after  he  had 
examined   the  dingui's  cargo,  by   sight,  taste,  and 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 


301 


smell.  "  It  is  surprisingly  like  a  rich  earth,  if  it  be 
not  actually  so." 

"  Lord  bless  you,  Mr.  Mark,  there  is  enough  on't 
to  fill  the  old  'Cocus,  ag'in  and  ag'in.  How  deep  it 
is,  I  don't  pretend  to  know ;  but  it's  a  good  hundred 
paces  across  it,  and  the  spot  is  as  round  as  that  there 
chimbly,  that  you  call  a  cr'ature." 

"  If  that  be  the  case,  we  will  try  our  hands  at  it 
next  week,  and  see  what  can  be  done  with  an  import- 
ation. I  do  not  give  up  the  blessed  hope  of  the 
boat,  Bob — that  you  will  always  bear  in  mind — but 
it  is  best  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  means  of  living, 
should  it  please  God  to  prevent  our  getting  to  sea 


again." 


"  To  sea,  Mr.  Mark,  neither  you  nor  I,  nor  any 
mortal  man  will  ever  get,  in  the  old  'Cocus,  ag'in,  as 
I  knows  by  the  looks  of  things  outside  of  us.  'Twill 
never  do  to  plant  in  my  patch,  however,  for  the 
salt  water  must  wash  it  whenever  it  blows  ;  though 
a  very  little  work,  too,  might  keep  it  out,  when  I 
cuine  to  think  on  it.  Sparrowgrass  would  grow 
there,  as  it  is,  desperately  well;  and  Friend  Abraham 
WTiite  (the  owner  of  the  Rancocus)  had  both  seeds 
and  roots  put  up  for  the  use  of  the  savages,  if  a 
body  only  know'd  whereabouts  to  look  for  them, 
among  the  lot  of  rubbish  of  that  sort  that  he  sent 
aboard." 

"All  the  seeds  and  roots  are  in  two  or  three  boxes, 
in  the  Bteerage,"  answered  Mark.  "I'll  just  Step 
up  to  the  crater  and  bring  a  slmvel,  to  throw  this 
loam  out  of  the  boat  with,  while  you  can  clean  the 


302  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

fish  and  cook  the  supper.  A  little  fresh  food,  after 
so  much  salt,  will  be  both  pleasant  and  good  for 
us." 

Bob  assented,  and  each  went  his  way.  Mark 
threw  the  loam  into  a  wheelbarrow,  of  which  there 
were  no  less  than  three  in  the  ship,  and  he  wheeled 
it,  at  two  or  three  loads,  into  the  crater,  where  he 
threw  it  down  in  a  pile,  intending  to  make  a  compost 
heap  of  all  the  materials  of  the  sort  he  could  lay  his 
hands  on. 

As  for  Bob,  he  cleaned  both  fish,  taking  them  on 
board  the  ship  to  do  so.  He  put  the  largest  and 
coarsest  into  the  coppers,  after  cutting  it  up,  mixing 
with  it  onions,  pork,  and  ship's  bread,  intending 
to  start  a  fire  beneath  it  early  in  the  morning,  and 
cook  a  sort  of  chowder.  The  other  he  fried,  Mark 
and  he  making  a  most  grateful  meal  on  it,  that  eve- 
ning. 

The  Sabbath  ever  dawns  on  the  piously-inclined 
with  hope  and  a  devout  gratitude  to  the  Creator  for 
all  his  mercies.  With  feelings  of  this  character,  did 
Mark  and  Betts  keep  their  first  Sabbath  on  the 
reef.  The  former  read  the  morning  service  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  while  the  latter  sat  by,  an  attentive 
listener. 

After  the  religious  services,  for  which  both  our 
mariners  had  shaved  and  dressed,  they  took  a  walk 
together,  on  the  reef,  conversing  of  their  situation 
and  future  proceedings.  Bob  then  told  Mark,  for  the 
first  time,  that,  in  his  opinion,  there  was  the  frame 
and  the  other  materials  of  a  pinnace,  or  a  large  boat, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  303 

somewhere  in  the  hold,  which  it  was  intended  to  put 
together,  when  the  ship  reached  the  islands,  as  a  con- 
venience for  cruising  about  among  them  to  trade  with 
the  savages,  and  to  transport  sandal-wood.     The  mate 
had  never  heard  of  this  boat,  but  acknowledged  that 
a  part  of  the  hold  had  been  stowed  while  he  was  ab- 
sent at   Bristol.      Bob  confessed  that  he  had  never 
seen  it,  though  he   had  worked   in  the   stevedore's 
gang;   but    was   confident  he   had  heard  Abraham 
White  and  Captain  Crutchely  talking  of  it.     Accord- 
in  ir  to  his  recollection  it  was  to  be  a  boat  consider- 
ably larger  than  the  launch,  and  to  be  fitted  with 
masts  and  sails,  and  to  have  a  half-deck.     Mark  lis- 
tened to  all  this  patiently,  though  he  firmly  believed 
that    the   honest   fellow  was   deceiving    himself  the 
whole  time.     Such  a  craft  could  scarcely  be  in  the 
ship,  and  he  not  hear  of  it,  if  he  did  not  actually  see 
it ;  though  he  thought  it  possible  that  the  captain  and 
owners  may  have  had  some  such  plan  in  contempla- 
tion, and  conversed  together  on  it,  in  Betts's  presence. 
A^  there  were  plenty  of  tools  on  hoard,  however,  by 
using  Btuff  of  one  sorl   or  another,  thai  was  to  be 
found  in  the  ship,  Mark  had  strong  hopes  of  their 
being  able,  between  them,  to  construct,  in  the  course 
of  time,  a  crafl  of  some  sort,  that  should  be  of  suffi- 
cient  Stability  to  withstand  the  billows  of  that  ordi- 
narily mild   sea,  and  enable  them   to  return  to  their 
homes  and   friends.      In   conversing  of  things  of  this 
sort,  in    religious   observances,  mid   in    speculating   on 

the  probable  fate  of  their  shipmates,  did  our  mariners 

pass  this  holy  day. 


30A  STORIES    OF   TIIE    SEA. 

The  following  morning  our  mariners  resumed  their 
more  worldly  duties  with  renewed  powers.  While 
the  kettle  was  boiling  for  their  tea,  they  rolled  ashore 
a  couple  of  empty  water-casks,  and  filled  them  with 
fresh  water,  at  one  of  the  largest  natural  reservoirs 
on  the  reef,  it  having  rained  hard  in  the  night.  Af- 
ter breakfast,  Mark  walked  round  to  examine  his  piles 
of  loam  in  the  crater,  while  Bob  pulled  away  in  the 
dingui,  to  catch  a  few  fish,  and  to  get  a  new  cargo  of 
the  earth  ;  it  being  the  intention  of  Mark  to  join  him, 
at  the  next  trip,  with  the  raft,  which  required  some 
little  arranging,  however,  previously  to  its  being  used 
for  such  a  purpose. 

The  Rancocus  had  a  great  many  planks  and  boards 
in  her  hold,  a  part  of  the  ample  provision  made  by 
her  owners  for  the  peculiar  voyage  on  which  she  had 
been  sent.  With  some  of  these  planks  Mark  made  a 
staging  for  his  raft.  By  the  time  he  was  ready,  Bob 
returned  with  a  load  of  loam,  and,  on  the  next  out- 
ward voyage,  the  raft  was  taken  as  well  as  the  dingui. 

Mark  found  Betts's  deposit  of  decayed  vegetable 
matter  even  larger  and  more  accessible  than  he  had 
hoped  for.  A  hundred  loads  might  be  got  without 
even  using  a  wheelbarrow ;  and  to  all  appearances 
there  was  enough  of  it  to  give  a  heavy  dressing  to 
many  acres,  possibly  to  the  whole  area  of  the  crater. 
The  first  thing  the  young  man  did  was  to  choose  a 
suitable  place,  dig  it  well  up,  mixing  a  sufficiency  of 
guano  with  it,  agreeably  to  Betts's  directions,  and 
then  to  put  in  some  of  his  asparagus  roots.  After 
this  he  scattered  a  quantity  of  the  seed,  raking  the 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  305 

ground  well  after  sowing.  By  the  time  this  was  done 
Bob  had  both  dingui  and  raft  loaded,  when  they  pulled 
the  last  back  to  the  reef,  towing  the  boat. 

In  this  manner  our  two  mariners  continued  to  work, 
most  of  the  time,  for  the  next  fortnight,  making  daily 
more  or  less  trips  to  the  "loam-rock,"  as  they  called 
the  place  where  this  precious  deposit  had  been  made. 
As  the  distance  was  short,  they  could  come  and  go 
many  times  in  a  day,  transporting  at  each  trip  about 
as  much  of  the  loam  as  would  make  an  ordinary 
American  cart-load  of  manure.  The  entire  day,  how- 
ever, was  on  no  occasion  given  up  wholly  to  this  pur- 
suit. On  the  contrary,  many  little  odd  tasks  were 
completed,  which  were  set  by  their  necessities,  or  by 
forethought  and  prudence.  All  the  empty  water- 
casks,  fur  one  thing,  were  rolled  ashore,  and  filled  at 
the  largest  pool;  the  frequency  of  the  rains  admon- 
ishing them  of  the  wisdom  of  making  a  provision  for 
the  dry  season.  As  yet  no  water  was  given  to  any 
of  the  stock,  all  the  animals  finding  it  in  abundance 
in  the  cavities  of  the  lava. 

Some  of  the  time,  moreover,  Betts  passed  in  fish- 
ing,  supplying  not  only  Mark  and  himself,  but  the 
pigs  and  the  poultry,  with  as  much  food  as  was  de- 
sired.  A  cargo  of  guano  was  also  imported,  tin.'  rich 
manure  being  mixed  up  in  liberal  quantities  with  the 
loam.  At  the  end  of  the  first  week  of  these  voyages 
to  "•  loam-rock,"  In-tts  went  out  to  fi^h  in  a  new  direc- 
tion, passing  to  windward  of  the  "sea-wall,"  as  they 
called  the  reef  that  protected  the  ship,  lie  had  been 
gone  a  couple  of  hours,  when  Mark,  who  was  at  work 
20 


30 G  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

within  the  crater,  heard  Bob's  shout  outside,  as  if  he 
wished  assistance.  Throwing  down  the  pick,  our 
young  man  ran  out,  and  was  not  a  little  surprised  to 
see  the  sort  of  cargo  with  which  Bob  was  returning  to 
port.  It  would  seem  that  a  great  collection  of  sea- 
weed had  formed  to  windward  of  the  rock  where  Bob 
had  gone  to  fish,  at  which  spot  it  ordinarily  gathered 
in  a  pile  until  the  heap  became  too  large  to  lodge  any 
longer,  when,  owing  to  the  form  of  the  rock,  it  inva- 
riably broke  adrift,  and  passed  to  the  southward  of 
the  reef,  floating  to  leeward,  to  fetch  up  on  some  other 
rock,  or  island,  in  that  direction.  Bob  had  managed 
to  get  this  raft  round  a  particular  point  in  the  reef, 
when  the  wind  and  current  carried  it,  as  near  as  might 
be,  directly  toward  the  crater.  He  was  calling  to 
Mark  to  come  to  his  assistance,  to  help  get  the  raft 
into  a  sort  of  bay,  ahead  of  him,  where  it  might  be 
lodged ;  else  would  there  be  danger  of  its  drifting 
past  the  reef,  after  all  his  pains.  Our  young  man  saw 
at  once  what  was  wanted,  got  a  line,  succeeded  in 
throwing  it  to  Bob,  and  by  hauling  upon  it  brought 
the  whole  mass  ashore  in  the  very  spot  Betts  wished 
to  see  it  landed. 

This  sea-weed  proved  to  be  a  great  acquisition  on 
more  accounts  than  one.  There  was  as  much  of  it  in 
quantity  as  would  have  made  two  good-sized  loads  of 
hay.  Then,  many  small  shell-fish  were  found  among 
it,  which  the  pigs  and  poultry  ate  with  avidity.  It 
also  contained  seed,  that  the  fowls  picked  up  as  readi- 
ly as  if  it  had  been  corn.  The  hogs  moreover  masti- 
cated a  good  deal  of  the  weed,  and  poor  Kitty,  the 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  307 

only  one  of  the  domestic  animals  on  the  reef  that  was 
not  now  living  to  its  heart's  content,  nibbled  at  it, 
with  a  species  of  half-doubting  faith  in  its  salubrity. 

At  the  termination  of  the  second  week,  Mark  and 
Betts  held  a  council  on  the  subject  of  their  future 
proceedings.  At  this  consultation  it  was  decided  that 
it  would  be  better  to  finish  the  picking  up  of  a  con- 
siderable plot  of  ground,  one  of  at  least  half  an  acre 
in  extent,  that  was  already  commenced,  within  the 
crater,  scatter  their  compost  over  it,  and  spade  all  up 
together,  and  plant,  mixing  in  as  much  of  the  sea- 
weed as  they  could  conveniently  spade  under. 

Mark  proposed  to  pass  the  next  month  in  preparing 
the  half  acre,  and  in  getting  in  seed.  As  soon  as 
done  with  the  tillage,  it  was  his  idea  that  they  ought 
to  overhaul  the  ship  thoroughly,  ascertain  what  was 
actually  in  her,  and,  if  the  materials  of  the  boat  men- 
tioned by  Betts  were  really  to  be  found,  to  set  that 
crafl  up  as  soon  as  p  issible,  and  to  get  it  into  the 
water.  S  lould  they  not  find  the  frame  and  planks  of 
the  pinnace,  as  Betts  seemed  to  think  they  would, 
they  urn -I  go  to  work  and  get  out  the  best  frame 
they  could  themselves,  and  construct  such  a  craft  as 
their  own  skill  could  contrive.  After  building  such  a 
boat,  it  was  Mark's  opinion  that  he  and  Bob  could 
navigate  her  across  that  tranquil  ocean,  until  they 

reached  the  coast  of  South  America,  or  some  of  the 
islands  thai  were  known  to  be  friendly  to  the  white 
man. 

The  following  Monday  it  rained  nearly  the  whole 
morning,  confining  our  mariners  to  the  ship.     They 


308  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

took  that  occasion  to  overhaul  the  "  'twixt-deck"  more 
thoroughly  than  had  yet  been  done,  and  particularly 
to  give  the  seed-boxes  a  close  examination.  In  look- 
ing over  the  packages,  Mark  found  white  clover  seed 
and  timothy  seed,  among  other  things,  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  cover  most  of  the  mount  of  the  crater. 
The  weather  temporarily  clearing  off,  he  called  to 
Bob,  and  they  went  ashore  together,  Mark  carrying 
some  of  the  grass-seed  in  a  pail,  while  Betts  followed 
with  a  vessel  to  hold  guano.  Providing  a  quantity  of 
the  last  from  a  barrel  that  had  been  previously  filled 
with  it,  and  covered  to  protect  it  from  the  rain,  they 
clambered  up  the  side  of  the  crater.  This  was  the 
first  time  either  had  ascended  since  the  day  they  fin- 
ished their  planting  there,  and  Mark  approached  his 
hills  with  a  good  deal  of  freshly-revived  interest  in 
their  fate.  The  reader  will  judge  of  the  rapture,  as 
well  of  the  surprise,  with  which  he  first  saw  a  hill  of 
melons,  already  in  the  fourth  leaf.  Here,  then,  was 
the  great  problem  already  successfully  solved. 

It  would  not  be  easy  to  portray  to  the  reader  all 
the  delight  which  these  specks  of  incipient  verdure 
conveyed  to  the  mind  of  Mark  Woolston.  It  far  ex- 
ceeded the  joy  that  would  be  apt  to  be  awakened  by 
a  relief  from  an  apprehension  of  wanting  food  at  a 
distant  day,  for  it  resembled  something  of  the  char- 
acter of  a  new  creation.  He  went  from  hill  to  hill, 
and  everywhere  did  he  discover  plants,  some  just 
peeping  through  the  ashes,  others  already  in  leaf,  and 
all  seemingly  growing  and  thriving.  Mark  then  sent 
Bob  below  to  bring  up  some  buckets  filled  with  the 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  309 

earth  brought  from  Loam  Rock,  or  island.  This  soil 
was  laid  carefully  around  each  of  the  plants,  the  two 
working  alternately  at  the  task,  until  a  bucket-full 
had  been  laid  in  each  hill.  Mark  did  not  know  it  at 
the  time,  but  subsequent  experience  gave  him  reason 
to  suspect,  that  this  forethought  saved  most  of  his 
favorites  from  premature  death.  Seed  might  germi- 
nate, and  the  plants  shoot  luxuriantly  from  out  of 
the  ashes  of  the  volcano,  under  the  united  influence 
of  the  sun  and  rains,  but  it  was  questionable  whether 
the  nourishment  to  be  derived  from  such  a  soil  would 
prove  to  be  sufficient  to  sustain  the  plants  when  they 
got  to  be  of  an  age  and  size  to  demand  all  the  sup- 
port they  wanted. 

When  Mark  was  temporarily  satisfied  with  gazing 
at  his  new-found  treasure,  he  went  to  work  to  scatter 
the  grass-seed  over  the  summit  and  sides  of  the  crater. 
Inside,  there  was  not  much  motive  for  sowing  any- 
thing, the  rock  being  so  nearly  perpendicular ;  but  on 
the  outside  of  the  hill,  or  "mountain,"  as  Bob  inva- 
riably called  it,  the  first  ten  or  twelve  feet  excepted, 
there  could  be  no  obstacle  to  the  seeds  taking  : 
though,  from  the  want  of  soil,  much  of  it,' Mark  knew, 
must  be  lost;  but,  if  it  only  took  in  spots,  and  gave 
him  only  a  t'^w  green  patches  for  the  eye  to  rest  on, 
he  felt  he  should  be  amply  rewarded  for  his  trouble. 
Bob  scattered  guano  wherever  he  scattered  grass- 
seed,  and  in  this  way  they  walked  entirely  round  the 
crater.  A  genial,  soft  rain  soon  came  to  moisten  this 
seed,  and  to  embed  it  with  whatever  there  was  of  soil 


310  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

on  the  surface,  giving  it  every  chance  to  take  root 
that  circumstances  would  allow. 

This  preliminary  step  taken  toward  covering  the 
face  of  the  mount  with  verdure,  our  mariners  went  to 
work  to  lay  out  their  garden,  regularly,  within  the 
crater.  Mark  manifested  a  good  deal  of  ingenuity  in 
this  matter.  With  occasional  exceptions  the  surface 
of  the  plain,  or  the  bottom  of  the  crater,  was  an  even 
crust  of  no  great  thickness,  composed  of  concrete 
ashes,  scoria?,  &c,  but  which  might  have  borne  the 
weight  of  a  loaded  wagon.  This  crust  once  broken, 
which  it  was  not  very  difficult  to  do  by  means  of 
picks  and  crows,  the  materials  beneath  were  found 
loose  enough  for  the  purposes  of  agriculture,  almost 
without  using  the  spade.  Now,  space  being  abun- 
dant, Mark  drew  lines,  in  fanciful  and  winding  paths, 
leaving  the  crust  for  his  walks,  and  only  breaking 
into  the  loose  materials  beneath  wherever  he  wished 
to  form  a  bed.  As  each  bed,  Avhether  oval,  winding, 
or  straight,  was  dug,  the  loam  and  sea-weed  was 
mixed  up  in  it,  in  great  abundance,  after  which  it  was 
sown,  or  planted. 

Our  mariners  were  quite  a  fortnight  preparing,  ma- 
nuring, and  sowing  their  parterre,  which,  wThen  com- 
plete, occupied  fully  half  an  acre  in  the  very  centre  of 
the  crater,  Mark  intending  it  for  the  nucleus  of  future 
similar  works,  that  might  convert  the  whole  hundred 
acres  into  a  garden.  By  the  time  the  work  was  done, 
the  rains  were  less  frequent,  though  it  still  came  in 
showers,  and  those  that  were  still  more  favorable  to 
vegetation.      In   that   fortnight   the   plants    on   the 


STORIES   OF   THE    SEA.  311 

mount  had  made  great  advances,   showing  the  exu- 
berance and  growth  of  a  tropical  climate. 

With  a  view  to  the  approaching  summer,  our  mar- 
iners turned  their  attention  to  the  constructing  of  a 
tent  within  the  crater.  They  got  some  old  sails  and 
some  spars  ashore,  and  soon  had  a  spacious,  as  well 
as  a  comfortable  habitation  of  this  sort  erected.  The 
AVJint  of  wind,  or  air  in  motion,  formed  the  most  se- 
rious objection  to  the  crater,  as  a  place  of  residence, 
in  the  hot  months ;  and  this  set  Mark  to  work  to  de- 
vise expedients  for  building  some  sort  of  tent,  or  hab- 
itation, on  the  mount  itself,  where  it  would  always  be 
cool,  provided  one  could  get  a  protection  from  the 
fierce  rays  of  the  sun. 

After  a  good  deal  of  search,  Mark  selected  a  spot 
on  the  "Summit,"  as  he  began  to  term  the  place,  and 
pitched  his  tent  on  it.  Holes  were  made  in  the  soil 
rocks,  and  pieces  of  spars  were  inserted,  to  answer 
for  posts.  With  a  commencement  as  solid  as  this,  it 
was  not  difficult  to  make  the  walls  of  the  tent  (or 
marquee  would  be  the  better  word,  since  both  habita- 
tions had  nearly  upright  sides)  by  means  of  an  old 
ion '-course. 

In  this  lent  Mark  passed  most  of  his  time.  Thither 
he  conveyed  many  of  his  books,  liis  flute,  and  a  por- 
tion of  his  writ  in--  materials.  There  he  could  sit  and 
watch  the  growth  of  the  different  vegetables  he  was 
cultivating.  As  for  Bob,  he  fished  a  good  'leal,  both 
in  the  way  of  supplies,  ;Uid  for  his  amusement.  The 
pigs  and  poultry  fared  well,  and  everything  seemed 
to  thrive  but  poor  Kitty.     She  loved  to  follow  Mark, 


312  STORIES    OF   THE   SEA. 

and  cast  many  a  longing  look  up  at  the  Summit, 
whenever  she  saw  him  strolling  about  among  his 
plants. 

The  vegetables  on  the  Summit,  or  those  first  put 
into  the  ground,  flourished  surprisingly.    The  melons 
soon  began  to  run,  as  did  the  cucumbers,  squashes, 
and  pumpkins ;  and  by  the  end  of  the  next  month, 
there  were  a  dozen  large  patches  on  the  mount,  that 
were  covered  by  a  dense  verdure.     Nor  was  this  all ; 
Mark  making  a  discovery  about   this   time  that  af- 
forded him  almost  as  much  happiness  as  when  he  first 
saw  his  melons  in  leaf.     He  was  seated  one  day,  with 
the  walls  of  his  tent  brailed  up,  in  order  to  allow  the 
wind  to  blow  through,  when  something  dark  on  the 
rock  caught  his  eye.     The  spot  was  some  little  dis- 
tance from  him,  and,  going  to  it,  he  found  that  large 
quantities  of  his  grass-seed  had  actually  taken !    Now 
he  might  hope  to  convert  that  barren-looking,  and 
often  glaring  rock,  into  a  beautiful  grassy  hill,  and 
render  that  which  was  sometimes  painful  to  the  eyes 
a  pleasure  to  look  upon.     He  did  not  fail  to  aid  na- 
ture, by  scattering  a  fresh  supply  of  guano  all  over 
the  hill. 

While  Mark  was  thus  employed  at  home,  Bob 
rowed  out  to  the  reef,  bringing  in  his  fish  in  such 
quantities  that  it  occurred  to  Mark  to  convert  them 
also  into  manure.  A  fresh  half-acre  was  accordingly 
broken  up  within  the  crater ;  and,  as  soon  as  a  bed 
was  picked  over,  quantities  of  fish  were  buried  in  it, 
and  left  there  to  decay.  Nor  did  Betts  neglect  the 
sea-weed  the  while.     On  several  occasions  he  floated 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  313 

large  bodies  of  it  from  the  outer  reefs.  This  work, 
however,  gradually  ceased,  as  the  season  advanced, 
and  summer  came  in  earnest.  This  season,  however, 
did  not  prove  by  any  means  as  formidable  as  Mark 
had  anticipated,  the  sea-breezes  keeping  the  place 
cool  and  refreshed.  Our  mariners  now  missed  the 
rain,  which  was  by  no  means  as  frequent  as  it  had 
been,  though  it  fell  in  larger  quantities  when  it  did 
come.  The  stock  had  to  be  watered  for  several 
weeks,  the  power  of  the  sun  causing  all  the  water 
that  lodged  in  the  cavities  of  the  rocks  to  evaporate 
almost  immediately. 

During  the  time  it  was  too  warm  to  venture  out  in 
the  dingui,  except  for  half  an  hour  of  a  morning,  or 
for  as  long  a  period  of  an  evening,  Mark  turned  his 
attention  to  the  ship  again.  Seizing  suitable  mo- 
ments, each  sail  was  loosened,  thoroughly  dried,  tin- 
bent,  and  got  below.  An  awning  was  got  out,  and 
spread,  and  the  decks  were  wet  down,  morning  and 
evening.  The  hold  was  now  entered,  and  overhauled, 
for  fche  first  time  since  the  accident. 

One  day  n-  1),,1>  was  rumaging  about  in  the  hold, 
and  Mark  was  looking  on,  the  former  got  hold  of  a 
piece  of  wood,  and  began  to  tug  at  it  to  draw  it  out 
from  among  a  pile  that  lay  in  a  dark  corner.  After 
several  efforts,  the  stick  came,  when  Mark,  struck 
with  a  glimpse  he  gol  of  its  form,  bade  Bob  bring  it 
under  the  light  of  the  hatchway.  The  instant  lie  gol 
a  good  look  at  it,  WooKt, ,n  knew  that  Bob's  "fool- 
ish, crooked  stick,  which  was  lit  to  stow  nowhere," 
as  the  honest  fellow  had  described  it  when  it  gave 


314  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

him  so  much  troupe,  was  neither  more  nor  less  than 
one  of  the  ribs  of  a  boat  of  larger  size  than  common. 

"This  is  providential,  truly!"  exclaimed  Mark. 
"  Your  crooked  stick,  Bob,  is  a  part  of  the  frame  of 
the  pinnace  of  which  you  spoke !" 

"  You're  right,  Mr.  Mark,  you're  right !"  answered 
Bob — "  and  I  must  have  been  oncommon  stupid  not 
to  have  thought  of  it,  when  it  came  so  hard.  And  if 
there's  one  of  the  boat's  bones  stowed  in  that  place, 
there  must  be  more  to  be  found  in  the  same  latitude." 

This  was  true  enough.  After  working  in  that  dark 
corner  of  the  hold  for  several  hours,  all  the  materials 
of  the  intended  craft  wrere  found  and  collected  in  the 
steerage.  Neither  Mark  nor  Betts  was  a  boat-builder, 
or  a  shipwright ;  but  each  had  a  certain  amount  of 
knowledge  on  the  subject,  and  each  well  knew  where 
every  piece  was  intended  to  be  put.  What  a  revo- 
lution this  discovery  made  in  the  feelings  of  our 
young  husband!  A  tumultuous  rushing  of  all  the 
blood  in  his  body  toward  his  heart  almost  over- 
powered him,  and  the  future  entirely  changed  its  as- 
pects. He  did  not  doubt  an  instant  of  the  ability  of 
Bob  and  himself  to  put  these  blessed  materials  to- 
gether, or  of  their  success  in  navigating  the  mild  sea 
around  them,  for  any  necessary  distance,  in  a  craft  of 
the  size  this  must  turn  out  to  be. 

The  agitation  and  revulsion  of  feeling  produced  in 
Mark  by  the  discovery  of  the  materials  of  the  pin- 
nace were  so  great  as  to  prevent  him  from  maturing 
any  plan  for  several  days.  He  could  anticipate  no- 
thing, talk  of  nothing,  think  of  nothing,  but  these 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  315 

new-found  menus  of  quitting  the  reef,  and  of  return- 
ing to  the  abodes  of  men,  and  to  the  arms  of  his 
young  wife. 

Betts  took  things  more  philosophically.  He  sub- 
mitted to  Mark,  however;  and  when  the  latter  told 
him  that  he  could  wait  no  longer  for  the  return  of 
cooler  weather,  or  for  the  heat  of  the  sun  to  become 
less  intense  before  he  began  to  set  up  the  frame  of  his 
craft,  as  had  been  the  first  intention,  Bob  acquiesced 
in  the  change  of  plan,  without  remonstrance. 

Nevertheless,  it  was  far  easier  bravely  to  determine 
in  this  matter,  than  to  execute.  The  heat  was  now 
so  intense,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  that  it 
would  far  exceed  the  power  of  our  two  mariners  to 
support  it,  on  a  naked  rock,  and  without  shade  of 
any  sort.  The  frame  of  the  pinnace  must  be  set  up 
somewhere  near  the  water,  regular  ways  being  neces- 
sary  to  launch  her;  and  nowhere,  on  the  shore,  was 
the  smallest  shade  to  be  found,  without  recourse  to 
artificial  means  of  procuring  it.  As  Mark's  impa- 
tience would  no  longer  brook  delay,  this  artificial 
shade,  therefore,  was  the  first  thing  to  be  attended 
to. 

A  portion  <>f  the  ceef  having  been  selected  for  the 
ship-yard,  the  frame  of  the  pinnace,  by  means  of  the 
raft,  was  towed  to  this  spot,  and  a  sail  and  spars  got 
out  f.,r  the  purpose  of  the  awning.  The  labor  of 
erecting  the  awning  was  very  severe,  but  when  com- 
pleted,  Boh  was  in  raptures  with  the  new  ship  yard. 
It  was  as  large  as  the  mainsail  of  a  ship  of  four  hun- 
dred  tons,  was  complete  as  to  shade,  with  the  ad- 


316  STORIES   OF   THE;  SEA. 

vantage  of  letting  the  breeze  circulate,  and  had  a 
reasonable  chance  of  escaping  from  the  calamities  of  a 
flood.  Mark,  too,  was  satisfied  with  the  result,  and 
the  very  next  day  after  this  task  was  completed  onr 
shipwrights  set  to  work  to  lay  their  keel.  That  day 
was  memorable  on  another  account.  Bob  had  gone 
to  the  Summit  in  quest  of  a  tool  left  there,  and  while 
on  the  mount,  he  ascertained  the  important  fact  that 
the  melons  were  beginning  to  ripen.  He  brought 
down  three  or  four  of  these  delicious  fruits,  and  Mark 
had  the  gratification  of  tasting  some  of  the  bounties 
of  Providence,  which  had  been  bestowed  as  a  re- 
ward of  his  own  industry  and  forethought.  It  was 
not  the  melons  alone,  however,  that  were  getting  to 
be  ripe ;  for,  on  examining  himself  among  the  vines 
which  covered  fully  half  an  acre  of  the  Summit,  Mark 
found  squashes,  cucumbers,  onions,  sweet-potatoes, 
tomatoes,  string-beans,  and  two  or  three  other  vege- 
tables, all  equally  fit  to  be  used.  From  that  time, 
some  of  these  plants  were  put  in  the  pot  daily,  and 
certain  slight  apprehensions  which  Woolston  had  be- 
gun again  to  entertain  on  the  subject  of  scurvy,  were 
soon  dissipated. 

It  was  an  important  day  on  the  reef  when  the  keel 
of  the  pinnace  was  laid,  which  was  named  the 
Neshamony,  after  an  inlet  of  the  Delaware. .  On  ex- 
amining his  materials,  Mark  ascertained  that  the  boat- 
builders  had  marked  and  numbered  each  portion  of 
the  frame,  each  plank,  and  everything  else  that  be- 
longed to  the  pinnace.  Holes  were  bored,  and  every- 
thing had  been  done  in  the  boat-yard  that  could  be 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  31 7 

useful  to  those  who,  it  was  expected,  were  to  put  the 
work  together  in  a  distant  part  of  the  world.  This 
greatly  facilitated  our  new  boat-builders'  labors.  As 
soon  as  the  keel  was  laid,  Mark  set  up  the  frame, 
which  came  together  with  very  little  trouble.  The 
wailes  were  then  got  out,  and  were  fitted,  each  piece 
being  bolted  in  its  allotted  place.  The  whole  frame 
was  set  up,  the  wailes  were  fitted  and  bolted,  and  the 
garboard-streak  got  on  and  secured ;  though  a  week 
was  necessary  to  effect  these  desired  objects. 

Our  mariners  now  measured  their  new  frame.  The 
keel  was  just  four-and-twenty  feet  long,  the  distance 
between  the  knight-heads  and  the  taffrail  being  six 
feet  greater;  the  beam,  from  outside  to  outside,  was 
nine  feet,  and  the  hold  might  be  computed  at  five 
feet  in  depth.  This  gave  something  like  a  measure- 
ment of  eleven  Ions.  As  a  vessel  of  eleven  tonsmighl 
make  very  good  weather  in  a  sea-way,  if  properly 
bandied,  the  result  gave  great  satisfaction,  Mark 
cheering  \><>h  with  accounts  of  crafts,  of  much  smaller 
dimensions,  thai  had  navigated  the  more  stormy  seas, 
with  entire  safety,  on  various  occasions. 

The  planking  of  the  Neshamony  was  no  great  mat- 
ter, being  completed  the  week  it  was  commenced. 
The  caulking,  however,  gave  more  trouble,  though 
Bob  had  done  a  great  deal  of  thai  sort  of  work  in  his 
day.  It  took  a  fortnight  lor  the  honest  fellow  to  do 
the  caulking  to  his  own  mind,  and  before  it  was  fin- 
ished another  ureal  discovery  was  made  by  rumaging 
in  the  ship's  hold,  in  quesl  of  some  of  tie-  fastenings 
which  had  not  al  first  been  found.     A  quantity  of  old 


31 S  STOETES    OF   THE    SEA. 

sheet-copper,  that  had  run  its  time  on  a  vessel's  bot- 
tom, was  brought  to  light,  marked  "  copper  for  the 
pinnace."  To  work,  then,  Mark  and  Bob  went  to  put 
on  the  sheathing-paper  and  copper  that  had  thus 
bountifully  been  provided  for  them,  as  soon  as  the 
seams  were  well  paid.  This  done,  and  it  was  no 
great  job,  the  paint-brush  was  set  to  work,  and  the 
hull  was  completed !  In  all,  Mark  and  Betts  were 
eight  weeks,  hard  at  work,  putting  their  pinnace  to- 
gether. 

At  length,  Mark  was  of  opinion  they  might  pro- 
ceed to  launch  the  craft,  and  having  taken  all  neces- 
sary precautions,  and  made  all  requisite  arrangements, 
the  next  day  was  named  for  the  attempt.  But  Bob 
made  a  suggestion  which  changed  this  plan,  and 
caused  a  delay  that  was  attended  with  very  serious 
consequences. 

The  weather  had  become  cloudy,  and  a  little  men- 
acing, for  the  last  few  days,  and  Bob  proposed  that 
they  should  lower  the  awning,  get  up  shears  on  the 
rock,  and  step  the  mast  of  the  pinnace  before  they 
launched  her,  as  a  means  of  saving  some  labor.  The 
spar  was  not  very  heavy,  it  was  true,  and  it  might  be 
stepped  by  crossing  a  couple  of  the  oars  in  the  boat 
itself;  but  a  couple  of  light  spars — top-gallant  stud- 
ding-sail booms  for  instance — would  enable  them  to 
do  it  much  more  readily,  before  the  craft  was  put  into 
tlic  water,  than  it  could  be  done  afterwards.  Mark 
listened  to  the  suggestion,  and  acquiesced.  The  awn- 
ing was  consequently  lowered,  and  got  out  of  the  way. 
Then  the  shears  were  got  up,  and  the  mast  was  step- 


STORIES   OF   THE    SEA.  319 

ped  and  rigged  ;  the  boat's  sails  were  found  and  bent. 
Mark  now  thought  enough  had  been  done,  and  that, 
the  next  day,  they  might  undertake  the  launch.  But 
another  suggestion  of  Bob's  delayed  the  proceed- 
ings. 

The  weather  still  continued  clouded  and  menacing. 
Betts  was  of  opinion,  therefore,  that  it  might  be  well 
to  stow  the  provisions  and  water  they  intended  to 
use  in  the  pinnace,  while  she  was  on  the  stocks,  as  they 
could  work  round  her  so  much  the  more  easily  then 
than  afterwards.  Accordingly,  the  breakers  were  got 
out,  on  board  the  ship,  and  filled  with  fresh  water. 
They  were  then  struck  into  the  raft.  A  barrel  of  beef, 
and  one  of  pork  followed,  with  a  quantity  of  bread. 
At  two  trips  the  raft  carried  all  the  provisions  and 
stores  that  were  wanted,  and  the  cargoes  were  landed, 
rolled  up  to  the  side  of  the  pinnace,  hoisted  on  board 
of  her,  by  means  of  the  throat-halliard,  and  properly 
stowed.  Two  grapnels,  or  rather  one  grapnel  and 
a  small  kedge,  were  found  among  the  pinnace's  ma- 
terials, everything  belonging  to  her  having  been 
Stowed  in  the  same  part  of  the  ship.  These,  too, 
were  carried  round  to  the  ship-yard,  got  on  board, 
and  their  hawsers  bent.  In  a  word,  every  preparation 
was  made  that  might  be  necessary  to  make  sail  on  the 
pinnace,  and  to  proceed  to  sea  in  her  at  once. 

It  was  rather  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  third 
clouded  day,  that  Betts  himself  admitted  no  more 
Id  be  done  to  the  Neshamony,  previously  to  put- 
ting her  into  the  water.  When  our  two  mariners 
ceased  the  business  of  the  day,  therefore,  it,  was  with 


320  STOEIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

the  understanding  that  they  would  turn  out  early  in 
the  morning,  wedge  up,  and  launch. 

That  night  Mark  and  Betts  both  slept  in  the  ship. 
They  had  a  fancy  it  might  be  the  last  in  which  they  could 
ever  have  any  chance  of  doing  so,  and  attachment  to 
the  vessel  induced  both  to  return  to  their  old  berths ; 
for  latterly  they  had  slept  in  hammocks,  swung  be- 
neath the  ship-yard  awning,  in  order  to  be  near  their 
work.  Mark  was  awoke  at  a  very  early  hour,  by  the 
howling  of  a  gale  among  the  rigging  and  spars  of  the 
Rancocus.  Throwing  on  his  clothes,  and  going  out 
on  the  quarter-deck,  he  found  that  a  tempest  was  upon 
them.  The  storm  far  exceeded  anything  that  he  had 
ever  before  witnessed  in  the  Pacific.  The  ocean  was 
violently  agitated,  and  the  rollers  came  in  over  the 
reef  with  a  force  and  majesty  that  seemed  to  disre- 
gard the  presence  of  the  rocks.  It  was  just  light, 
and  Mark  called  Bob,  in  alarm.  The  aspect  of  things 
was  really  serious,  and,  at  first,  our  mariners  had 
great  apprehensions  for  the  safety  of  the  ship.  It 
was  true,  the  sea-wall  resisted  every  shock  of  the 
rollers  that  reached  it,  but  even  the  billows  after  they 
were  broken  by  this  obstacle  came  down  upon  the 
vessel  with  a  violence  that  brought  a  powerful  strain 
on  every  rope-yarn  in  the  sheet-cable.  But  the  pres- 
ervation of  the  ship  was  no  longer  a  motive  of  the 
first  consideration  with  them;  that  of  the  pinnace 
being  the  thing  now  most  to  be  regarded.  Nor  were 
the  signs  of  the  danger  that  menaced  the  boat  to  be 
disregarded.  The  water  of  the  ocean  appeared  to  be 
piling  in  among  these  reefs,  the  rocks  of  which  re- 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  321 

sisted  its  passage  to  leewar4,  and  already  was  wash- 
ing up  on  the  surface  of  the  reef,  in  places,  threaten- 
ing them  with  a  general  inundation.  It  was  necessary 
to  look  after  the  security  of  various  articles  that  were 
scattered  about  on  the  outer  plain,  and  our  mariners 
went  ashore  to  do  so. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  tempest  increased  in  violence, 
the  sea  continued  to  pile  among  the  rocks,  and  the 
water  actually  covered  the  whole  of  the  outer  plain 
of  the  reef.  Mark  was  obliged  to  let  all  the  animals 
within  the  crater  as  security.  He  then  looked  after 
his  tent  and  its  contents,  all  of  which  were  exposed, 
more  or  less,  to  the  power  of  the  gale.  After  se- 
curing his  books,  furniture,  <fec,  and  seeing  that  the 
stays  of  the  marquee  itself  were  likely  to  hold  out, 
he  cast  an  eye  to  the  ship,  which  was  on  that  side 
of  the  island  also.  The  staunch  old  'Cocus,  as  Bob 
called  her,  was  rising  and  falling  with  the  waves 
that  now  disturbed  her  usually  placid  basin;  but,  as 
yet,  her  cable  and  anchor  held  her,  and  no  harm  was 
done. 

After  taking  this  look  at  the  ship,  our  mate  passed 
round  the  Summit,  having  two  or  three  tumbles  on 
his  way  in  consequence  of  pull's  of  wind,  until  he 
readied  the  point  over  tin'  gate-way,  which  was  that 
nearesl  to  the  ship-yard.  To  his  surprise,  on  looking 
round  for  Bob,  whom  he  thought  to  be  at  Avork 
securing  property  near  the  gate-way,  he  ascertained 
thai  the  honest  fellow  had  waded  down  to  the  ship- 
yard, and  clambered  on  board  the  pinnace,  with  a 
view  to  take  care  of  her.  The  distance  between  the 
21 


322  STOEIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

point  where  Mark  now, stood  and  the  Neshamoiiy 
exceeded  half  a  mile,  and  communication  with  the 
voice  would  have  been  next  to  impossible,  had  the 
wind  not  blown  as  it  did.  Mark,  however,  could 
see  his  friend,  and  see  that  he  was  gesticulating,  in 
the  most  earnest  manner,  for  himself  to  join  him. 
Then  it  was  he  first  perceived  that  the  pinnace  was 
in  motion,  seeming  to  move  on  her  ways.  Presently 
the  blockings  were  washed  from  under  her,  and  the 
boat  went  astern  half  a  length  at  a  single  surge. 
Mark  made  a  bound  down  the  hill,  intending  to 
throw  himself  into  the  raging  surf,  and  to  swim  off 
to  the  aid  of  Betts ;  but,  pausing  an  instant  to  choose 
a  spot  at  which  to  get  down  the  steep,  he  looked 
toward  the  ship-yard,  and  saw  the  pinnace  lifted  on 
a  sea,  and  washed  fairly  clear  of  the  land ! 

It  would  have  been  madness  in  Mark  to  pursue  his 
intention.  A  boat,  or  craft  of  any  sort,  once  adrift 
in  such  a  gale,  could  not  have  been  overtaken  by  even 
one  of  those  islanders  who  are  known  to  pass  half 
their  lives  in  the  water ;  and  the  young  man  sunk 
down  on  the  rock,  almost  gasping  for  breath  in  the 
intensity  (if  his  distress.  The  sturdy  old  sea-dog  who 
was  cast  adrift,  amid  the  raging  of  the  elements,  com- 
ported himself  in  a  way  to  do  credit  to  his  training. 
There  was  nothing  like  despair  in  his  manner  of  pro- 
ceeding; but  he  coolly  and  intelligently  set  about 
taking  care  of  his  craft. 

Betts  knew  too  well  the  uselessness  of  throwing 
over  his  hedge  to  attempt  anchoring.  Nor  was  it 
safe  to  keep  the  boat  in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  his 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  323 

wisest  course  being  to  run  before  the  gale  until  he 
was  clear  of  the  rocks,  when  he  might  endeavor  to 
lie-to,  if  his  craft  would  bear  it.  In  driving  oft"  the 
reef,  the  Neshamony  had  gone  stern  foremost,  almost 
as  a  matter  of  course,  vessels  usually  being  laid  down 
with  their  bows  towards  the  land.  No  sooner  did 
the  honest  old  salt  find  he  was  fairly  adrift,  therefore, 
than  he  jumped  into  the  stern-sheets  and  put  the 
helm  down.  With  stern-way  on  her,  this  caused  the 
bows  of  the  craft  to  fall  off;  and,  as  she  came  broad- 
side to  the  gale,  Mark  thought  she  would  ftill  over, 
also.  Some  idea  could  be  formed  of  the  power  of  the 
wind,  in  the  fact  that  this  sloop-rigged  craft,  without 
a  rag  of  sail  set,  no  sooner  caught  the  currents 
of  air  abeam,  than  she  lay  down  to  it,  as  one  com- 
monly sees  such  craft  do  under  their  canvas  in  stiff 
breezes. 

It  was  a  proof  that  the  Neshamony  was  well- 
modelled,  that  she  began  to  draw  ahead  as  soon  as 
the  wind  took  her  fairly  on  her  broadside,  when  BettS 
shifted  the  helm,  and  the  pinnace  fell  slowly  oft*. 
When  she  had  got  nearly  before  the  wind,  she  came 
up  and  rolled  to  windward,  like  a  ship,  and  Mark 
scarce  breathed  as  In-  saw  her  plunging  down  upon 
the  reefs,  like  a  frantic  steed  thai  knows  not  whither 
he  i--  rushing  in  his  terror.  Places  which  were 
usually  while  with  the  foam  of  breakers,  could  not 
now  he  distinguished  from  any  of  the  raging  caldron 
around  them,  ami  it  was  evident  that  Bob  musl  run 
at  hazard.  Twenty  times  did  Mark  expect  to  see  the 
pinnace  disappear  in  the  foaming  waves,  as  it  drove 


32-i  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

furiously  onward  ;  but,  in  each  instance,  the  light  and 
buoyant  boat  came  up  from  cavities  where  our  young 
man  fancied  it  must  be  dashed  to  pieces,  scudding 
away  like  a  sea-fowl.  Mark  now  began  to  hope  that 
his  friend  might  pass  over  the  many  reefs  that  lay  in 
his  track,  and  gain  the  open  water  to  leeward.  The 
rise  in  the  ocean  favored  such  an  expectation,  and  no 
doubt  was  the  reason  why  the  Neshamony  was  not 
dashed  to  pieces  within  the  first  five  minutes  after 
she  was  washed  ofi"  her  ways.  Once  to  leeward  of 
the  vast  shoals  that  surrounded  the  crater,  there  was 
the  probability  of  Bob's  finding  smoother  water,  and 
the  chance  of  his  riding  out  the  tempest  by  bringing 
his  little  sloop  up  head  to  sea. 

Mark  saw  the  Neshamony  for  about  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  after  she  was  adrift,  though  long  before  the 
expiration  of  even  that  brief  period  she  was  invisible 
for  many  moments  at  a  time,  in  consequence  of  the 
distance,  her  Avant  of  sail,  her  lowness  in  the  water, 
and  the  troubled  state  of  the  element  through  which 
she  was  driving.  The  last  look  he  got  of  her  was  at 
an  instant  when  the  spray  was  filling  the  atmosphere 
like  a  passing  cloud;  when  it  had  driven  away,  the 
boat  coul.l  no  longer  be  seen! 

Here  was  a  sudden  and  a  most  unexpected  change 
for  the  worse  in  the  situation  of  Mark  Woolston ! 
Nut  only  had  he  lost  the  means  of  getting  off  the 
island,  but  lie  had  lost  his  friend  and  companion.  It 
was  true,  Bob  was  a  rough  and  an  uncultivated  asso- 
ciate; but  he  was  honest  as  human  frailty  could  leave 
a  human   being,  true   as   steel   in    his  attachments, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  325 

strong  iii  body,  and  of  great  professional  skill.  So 
great,  indeed,  was  the  last,  that  our  young  man  was 
not  without  the  hope  he  would  be  able  to  keep  under 
the  lee  of  the  shoals  until  the  gale  broke,  and  then 
beat  up  through  them,  and  still  come  to  his  rescue. 

The  gale  still  continued  with  unabated  fury.  Each 
instant  the  water  rose  higher  and  higher  on  the  reef, 
until  it  began  to  enter  within  the  crater,  by  means 
of  the  gutters  that  had  been  worn  in  the  lava, 
covering  two  or  three  acres  of  the  lower  part  of  its 
plain. 

Finding  that  nothing  could  be  done  in  aid  of  Bob, 
Mark  descended  into  the  crater,  where  he  found  a 
protection  from  the  wind  that  no  other  place  afforded, 
and  flung  himself  into  one  of  the  hammocks  sus- 
pended  in  the  tent.  Here  he  remained  the  rest  of 
that  day.  During  the  night  there  was  a  shower,  and 
when  he  awoke  in  the  morning  the  storm  had  sub- 
sided. 

All  was  still  without,  ami,  rising,  he  found  that  the 
sun  was  shining,  and  that  a  perfect  calm  reigned  in 
the  outer  world.  Water  was  lying  in  spots,  in  holes 
on  the  Mii-facc  of  the  crater,  where  the  pigs  were 
drinking,  ami  the  ducks  bathing.  Kitty  stood  in 
sight,  on  the  topmosi  km>]l  of  the  Summit,  cropping 
t!  e  young  sweet  grass  that  had  so  lately  been  re- 
freshed by  rain.  The  garden  looked  smiling,  the 
plants  refreshed,  and  nothing  as  yet  touched  in  it  by 
the  visitors  who  had  necessarily  been  introduced. 

Our  young  man  washed  himself  in  one  of  (he  pools, 
and  then  crossed  the  plain  to  drive   out   the  pigs  and 


326  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

poultry,  the  necessity  of  husbanding  his  stores  press- 
ing even  painfully  on  his  mind.  As  he  approached 
the  gate-way,  he  saw  that  the  sea  had  retired  ;  and, 
certain  that  the  animals  would  take  care  of  them- 
selves, he  drove  them  through  the  hole,  and  dropped 
the  sail  before  it.  Then  he  sought  one  of  the  ascents, 
and  was  soon  on  the  top  of  the  hill.  The  sea  was 
calm  ;  the  points  in  the  reefs  were  easily  to  be  seen ; 
the  ship  was  at  rest  and  seemingly  uninjured,  and  the 
whole  view  was  one  of  the  sweetest  tranquillity  and 
security.  Already  had  the  pent  and  piled  waters 
diffused  themselves,  leaving  the  reef  as  before ;  a 
great  many  fish  lay  scattered  about  on  the  island,  and 
Mark  hastened  down  to  examine  their  qualities. 

The  pigs  and  poultry  were  already  at  work  on  the 
game  that  was  so  liberally  thrown  in  their  way,  and 
Mark  felt  indebted  to  these  scavengers  for  aiding  him 
in  what  he  perceived  was  now  a  task  indispensable  to 
his  comfort.  After  going  to  the  ship,  and  breaking 
his  fast,  he  returned  to  the  crater,  obtained  a  wheel- 
barrow, and  set  to  Avork  in  earnest  to  collect  the  fish, 
which  a  very  few  hours'  exposure  to  the  sun  of  that 
climate  would  render  so  offensive  as  to  make  the 
island  next  to  intolerable.  Never  in  his  life  did  our 
young  friend  work  harder  than  he  did  all  that  morn- 
ing. Each  load  of  fish,  as  it  was  wheeled  into  the 
crater,  was  thrown  into  a  trench  already  prepared  for 
that  purpose,  and  the  ashes  were  hauled  over  it,  by 
means  of  the  hoe.  Feeling  the  necessity  of  occupa- 
tion to  lessen  his  sorrow,  as  well  as  that  of  getting 
rid   of  pestilence,  which   he   seriously  apprehended 


STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  327 

from  this  inroad  of  animal  substances,  Mark  toiled 
two  whole  days  at  this  work,  until  fairly  driven  from 
it  by  the  intolerable  effluvium  which  arose,  notwith- 
standing all  he  had  done,  on  every  side  of  the  island. 
It  is  impossible  to  say  what  would  have  been  the 
consequences  had  not  the  birds  come,  in  thousands, 
to  his  relief  They  made  quick  work  of  it,  clearing 
off  the  fish  in  numbers  that  would  be  nearly  incred- 
ible. 

One  of  the  annoyances  to  which  our  solitary  man 
had  found  himself  most  subject  was  the  glare  pro- 
duced by  a  burning  sun  on  rocks  and  ashes  of  the 
drab  color  of  the  crater.  The  spots  of  verdure  that 
he  had  succeeded  in  producing  on  the  Summit,  not 
only  relieved  and  refreshed  his  eyes,  but  they  were 
truly  delightful  as  aids  to  the  view,  as  well  as  grate- 
ful to  Kitty,  which  poor  creature  had,  by  this  time, 
cropped  them  down  to  a  pretty  short  herbage.  The 
success  of  this  experiment,  the  annoyance  to  his  eyes, 
and  a  feverish  desire  to  be  doing,  which  succeeded 
the  disappearance  of  Betts,  set  Mark  upon  the  project 
of  s  iwing  grass-seed  over  as  much  of  the  plain  of  the 
crater  as  lie  thought  he  should  not  have  occasion  to 
use  for  the  purposes  of  tillage.  To  work  he  went 
then,  scattering  the  seed  in  as  much  profusion  as  the 
quantity  to  be  found  in  the  ship  would  justify. 
While  thus  employed,  a  heavy  shower  fell,  ami  think- 
ing the  rain  a  most  favorable  time  to  commit  liis 
grass-seeds  to  the  earth,  Mark  worked  through  the 
wliolc  of  it,  or  for  several  hours,  perspiring  with  the 
warmth  and  exercise. 


328  STORIES   OF   THE    SEA. 

This  done,  a  look  at  the  garden,  with  a  free  use  of 
the  hoe,  was  the  next  thing  undertaken.  That  night 
Mark  slept  in  his  hammock,  under  the  crater-awning, 
and  when  he  awoke  in  the  morning  it  was  to  experi- 
ence a  weight  like  that  of  lead  in  his  forehead,  a 
raging  thirst  and  a  burning  fever.  Now  it  was  that 
our  poor  solitary  hermit  felt  the  magnitude  of  his 
imprudence  and  the  weight  of  the  evils  of  his  peculiar 
situation.  That  he  was  about  to  be  seriously  ill  he 
knew,  and  it  behoved  him  to  improve  the  time  that 
remained  to  him  to  the  utmost.  Everything  useful 
to  him  was  in  the  ship,  and  thither  it  became  indis- 
pensable for  him  to  repair,  if  he  wished  to  retain  even 
a  chance  for  life.  Opening  an  umbrella,  then,  and 
supporting  his  tottering  legs  by  a  cane,  Mark  com- 
menced a  walk  of  very  near  a  mile,  under  an  almost 
perpendicular  sun,  at  the  hottest  season  of  the  year. 
Despair  urged  him  on,  and,  after  pausing  often  to 
rest,  he  succeeded  in  entering  the  cabin,  at  the 
end  of  the  most  perilous  hour  he  had  ever  yet 
passed. 

How  long  he  remained  in  his  berth,  or  near  it 
rather — for  he  was  conscious  of  having  crawled  from 
it  in  quest  of  water,  and  for  other  purposes,  on  several 
occasions — but,  how  long  he  was  confined  to  his 
cabin,  Mark  Woolston  never  knew.  The  period  was 
certainly  to  be  measured  by  days,  and  he  sometimes 
fancied  by  weeks.  The  first  probably  was  the  truth, 
though  it  might  have  been  a  fortnight.  Most  of  that 
time  his  head  was  light  with  fever,  though  there 
were  intervals  when  reason  was,  at  least  partially, 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  329 

restored  to  him,  and  he  hecame  painfully  conscious 
of  the  horrors  of  his  situation. 

At  length  the  fever  abated  in  its  violence,  though 
it  began  to  assume,  what  for  a  man  in  Mark  Wool- 
ston's  situation  was  perhaps  more  dangerous,  a 
character  of  a  Low  type,  lingering  in  his  system  and 
killing  him  by  inches.  Mark  was  aware  of  his  con- 
dition, and  thought  of  the  means  of  relief.  The  ship 
had  some  good  Philadelphia  porter  in  her,  and  a 
buttle  of  it  stood  on  a  shelf  over  his  berth.  This 
object  caught  his  eye,  and  he  actually  longed  for  a 
draught  of  that  porter.  lie  had  sufficient  strength 
to  raise  himself  high  enough  to  reach  it.  There  was 
a  hammer  on  the  shelf,  and  with  that  instrument  he 
succeeded  in  making  a  hole  in  the  side  of  the  bottle, 
and  in  filling  a  tumbler.  This  liquor  he  swallowed 
at  a  single  draught.  It  tasted  deliciously  to  him,  and 
he  took  a  second  tumbler  full,  when  he  lay  down,  un- 
certain as  to  the  consequences.  That  his  head  was 
affected  by  these  two  glasses  of  porter,  Mark  himself 
was  soon  aware,  and  shortly  after  drowsiness  fol- 
lowed.  Alter  lying  in  an  uneasy  slumber  for  half  an 
hour,  his  whole  person  was  covered  with  a  gentle 
perspiration,  in  which  condition,  after  drawing  the 
sheel  around  him,  the  sick  man  fell  asleep. 

Our  youthful  liermil  was  quite  two  months  in  re- 
covering  from  this  attack  of  fever  and  in  regaining 
his  strength,  though  by  the  end  of  one  he  was  able 
t.i  look  about  him,  and  turn  his  hand  to  many  little 
necessary  jobs.  The  first  thing  he  undertook  was  to 
set  up  a  gate  that    would   keep    the  animals  on  the 


330  STOKIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

outside  of  the  crater,  into  which  they  had  penetrated 
during  his  sickness,  and  destroyed  many  of  his  veg- 
etables. 

Mark  made  his  gate  out  of  the  fife-rail  at  the  foot 
of  the  mainmast,  sawing  off  the  stanchions  for  that 
purpose.  With  a  little  alteration,  it  answered  per- 
fectly, being  made  to  swing  from  a  post  that  was 
wedged  into  the  arch,  by  cutting  it  to  the  proper 
length.  As  this  was  the  first  attack  upon  the  Ran- 
cocus  that  had  yet  been  made,  by  axe  or  saw,  it 
made  the  young  man  melancholy.  It  was  done,  how- 
ever, and  the  gate  was  hung;  thereby  saving  the 
rest  of  the  crop.  It  was  high  time  ;  the  hogs  and 
poultry,  to  say  nothing  of  Kitty,  having  already  got 
their  full  share. 

By  the  time  his  strength  returned,  Mark  had  given 
up  altogether  the  hope  of  ever  seeing  Betts  again. 
It  was  just  possible  that  the  poor  fellow  might  fall  in 
with  a  ship,  or  find  his  way  to  some  of  the  islands ; 
but,  if  he  did  so,  it  would  be  the  result  of  chance,  and 
not  of  calculations.  The  pinnace  was  well  provision- 
ed, had  plenty  of  water,  and,  tempests  excepted,  was 
quite  equal  to  navigating  the  Pacific ;  and  there  was 
a  faint  hope  that  Bob  might  continue  his  course  to 
the  eastward,  with  a  certainty  of  reaching  some  part 
of  South  America  in  time.  If  he  should  take  this 
course,  and  succeed,  what  would  be  the  consequence? 
Who  would  put  sufficient  faith  in  the  story  of  a  simple 
seaman,  like  Robert  Betts,  and  send  a  ship  to  look  for 
Mark  Woolston  ?     It  was  a  subject  he  did  not  like  to 


STOKIES   OF   THE    SEA.  331 

dwell  on,  and  he  kept  his  thoughts  as  much  diverted 
from  it  as  it  was  in  his  power  so  to  do. 

When  he  found  his  health  completely  re-established, 
he  sat  down  and  drew  up  a  regular  plan  of  dividing 
his  time  between  work,  contemplation,  and  amuse- 
ment. Fortunately,  perhaps,  for  one  who  lived  in  a 
climate  where  vegetation  was  so  luxuriant  when  it 
could  be  produced  at  all,  work  was  pressed  into  his 
service  as  an  amusement.  Of  the  last,  there  was  cer- 
tainly very  little,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the 
word;  but  our  hermit  was  not  without  it  altogether. 
He  studied  the  habits  of  the  sea-birds  that  con^re- 
gated  in  thousands  around  so  many  of  the  rocks  of 
the  reef.  He  made  voyages  to  and  fro,  usually  con- 
necting business  with  pleasure.  Taking  favorable 
times  for  such  purposes,  he  iloated  several  cargoes  of 
loam  to  the  reef,  as  well  as  two  enormous  rafts  of  sea- 
weed. Mark  was  quite  a  month  in  getting  these 
materials  into  his  compost  heap,  which  lie  intended 
should  lie  in  a  pile  liming  the  winter,  in  order  that  it 
might  he  ready  for  spading  in  the  spring.  We  use 
e  terms  by  way  of  distinguishing  the  seasons, 
though  <>f  winter,  strictly  speaking,  there  was  none. 
Of  tin'  two,  the  grass  grew  better  at  mid-winter  than 
at  mid-summer,  the  absence  of  the  burning  heat  of 
the  lasl  being  favorable  t<>  its  growth.  As  the  season 
advanced,  Mark  saw  his  grass  very  scnsiUy  increase, 
DOt  only  in  surface,  but  in  thickness.  There  were 
now  spots  of  some  size,  where  a  turf  was  forming, 
nature  performing  all  her  tasks  in  that  genial  climate 


332  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

in  about  a  fourth  of  the  time  it  would  take  to  effect 
the  same  object  in  the  temperate  zone. 

It  was  somewhere  near  mid- winter,  by  Mark's  cal- 
culations, when  the  young  man  commenced  a  new 
task  that  was  of  great  importance  to  his  comfort,  and 
which  might  affect  his  future  life.  He  had  long  de- 
termined to  lay  down  a  boat — one  of  sufficient  size  to 
explore  the  whole  reef  in,  if  not  large  enough  to  carry 
him  out  to  sea.  He  had  learned  so  much  in  putting 
the  pinnace  together,  that  he  believed  himself  equal 
to  this  new  undertaking:.  Materials  enough  remained 
in  the  ship  to  make  half  a  dozen  boats,  and  in  tum- 
bling over  the  lumber  he  had  found  a  quantity  of  stuff 
that  had  evidently  been  taken  in  with  a  view  to  repair 
boats,  if  not  absolutely  to  construct  them.  A  ship's 
hold  is  such  an  omnium  gatherum — stowage  being 
necessarily  so  close — that  it  usually  requires  time  for 
one  who  does  not  know  where  to  put  his  hand  on 
every  thing,  to  ascertain  how  much  or  how  little  is  to 
be  found  in  it.  It  happened  that  Mark  had  been  ab- 
sent with  his  young  wife  during  a  part  of  the  time 
the  Rancocus  was  taking  in  its  cargo.  As  he  over- 
hauled the  hold,  he  daily  found  fresh  reasons  for  be- 
lieving that  the  owners  had  made  provisions,  of  one 
sort  and  another,  of  which  he  was  profoundly  igno- 
rant, hut  which,  as  the  voyage  had  terminated,  proved 
to  be  of  the  greatest  utility.  Thus  it  was  that,  just 
as  he  was  about  to  commence  getting  out  these  great 
requisites  from  new  planks,  he  came  across  a  stem, 
stern-frame,  and  keel  of  a  boat  that  was  intended  to 
be  eighteen  feet  long.      Of  course  our  young  man 


ST0KIE3    OF   THE    SEA.  333 

profited  by  this  discovery,  getting  the  materials  of  all 
sorts,  including  these,  round  to  the  ship-yard  by  means 
of  the  raft. 

For  the  next  two  months,  or  until  he  had  reason 
to  believe  spring  had  fairly  set  in,  Mark  toiled  faith- 
fully at  his  boat.  Portions  of  his  work  gave  him  a 
great  deal  of  trouble ;  some  of  it  on  account  of  igno- 
rance of  the  craft,  and  some  on  account  of  his  being 
alone.  Getting  the  awning  up  anew  cost  poor  Mark 
the  toil  of  several  days.  The  model  of  the  boat  cost 
him  a  great  deal  of  time  and  labor.  Mark  knew  a 
good  bottom  when  he  saw  it,  but  that  Avas  a  very 
different  thing  from  knowing  how  to  make  one.  Of 
the  rules  of  draughting  he  was  altogether  ignorant, 
and  his  eye  was  his  only  guide.  But  the  work  pro- 
gressed favorably,  though  slowly,  until  Mark  Avas 
obliged  by  the  progress  of  the  seasons  to  quit  the 
ship-yard  for  the  garden. 

It  was  mid-summer  ere  he  had  his  boat  ready  for 
launching,  lie  had  taken  things  leisurely,  and  com- 
pleted his  work  in  all  its  parts,  before  he  thought  of 
putting  the  craft  into  the  water.  Afraid  of  Avonns, 
he  used  some  of  the  old  copper  on  this  boat,  too ;  and 
lie  painted  her,  inside  and  out,  not  only  with  fidelity, 
but  with  taste.  Although  there  was  no  one  but  Kitty 
to  talk  to.  In-  did  not  forget  to  paint  the  name  which 
he  had  given  to  his  new  vessel,  in  her  stern-sheets, 
Where   lie   could   always   sec   it.     She   Avas    called   the 

"Bridgel  Y"a«tfey;"  and.  notwithstanding  the  unfavor- 
able circumstance!  in  which  she  had  been  put  together, 
Mark  thought  she  did  no  discredit  to  her  beautiful 


334  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

namesake,  when  completed.  When  he  had  every 
thing  finished,  even  to  mast  and  sails,  of  the  last  of 
-which  he  fitted  her  with  mainsail  and  jib,  the  young 
man  set  about  his  preparations  for  getting  his  vessel 
afloat,  which  he  soon  accomplished  without  great 
difficulty. 

Mark  was  delighted  with  his  new  vessel,  now  that 
it  was  fairly  afloat,  and  saw  that  it  sat  on  an  even 
keel,  according  to  his  best  hopes.  The  Bridget  was 
not  more  than  a  fourth  of  the  size  of  the  Xeshamony, 
though  rather  more  than  half  as  long.  Nevertheless, 
she  was  a  good  boat ;  and  Mark,  knowing  that  he 
must  depend  on  sails  principally  to  move  her,  had 
built  a  short  deck  forward  to  prevent  the  seas  from 
breaking  aboard  her,  as  well  as  to  give  him  a  place  in 
which  -he  might  stow  away  various  articles,  under 
cover  from  the  rain.  Her  ballast  was  breakers  filled 
Avith  fresh  water,  of  which  there  still  remained  several 
in  the  ship.  All  these,  as  well  as  her  masts,  sails, 
oars,  <fec,  were  in  her  when  she  was  launched;  and, 
that  important  event  having  taken  place  early  in  the 
morning,  Mark  could  not  restrain  his  impatience  for 
a  cruise,  but  determined  to  go  out  on  the  reef  at  once, 
farther  than  he  had  ever  yet  ventured  in  the  dingui, 
in  order  to  explore  the  seas  around  him.  Accordingly, 
he  put  some  food  on  board,  loosened  his  fasts,  and 
made  sail. 

The  instant  the  boat  moved  ahead,  and  began  to 
obey  her  helm,  Mark  felt  as  if  he  had  found  a  new 
companion.  A  boat  had  been  the  young  man's  de- 
light on  the  Delaware,  in  his  boyhood,  and  he  had  not 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  335 

tacked  his  present  craft  more  than  two  or  three  times, 
before  he  caught  himself  talking  to  it,  and  command- 
ing it,  as  he  would  a  human  being. 

It  was  easy  enough  to  avoid  all  such  breakers  as 
would  be  dangerous  to  a  boat,  by  simply  keeping  out 
of  white  water  ;  but  the  Bridget  could  pass  over  most 
of  the  reefs  with  impunity,  on  account  of  the  depth 
of  the  sea  on  them.  Mark  beat  up,  on  short  tacks, 
therefore,  until  he  found  the  two  buoys  between 
which  he  had  brought  the  ship,  and,  passing  to  wind- 
ward of  them,  he  stood  off  in  the  direction  Avhere  he 
expected  to  find  the  reef  over  which  the  Rancocus  had 
beaten.  lie  was  not  long  in  making  this  discovery. 
There  still  floated  the  buoy  of  the  bower,  watching 
as  faithfully  as  the  seaman  on  his  look-out !  Mark  ran 
the  boat  up  to  this  well-tried  sentinel,  and  caught 
the  lanyard,  holding  on  by  it,  after  lowering  his 
sails. 

It  was  Mark's  wish  to  learn  something  of  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  shoals  in  this  direction.  "With  this 
objecl  in  view,  he  continued  beating  up,  sometimes 
passing  boldly  through  shallow  water,  at  others  going 
about  to  avoid  that,  which  he  thought  might  be  dan- 
gerous, until  he  believed  himself  to  he  aboul  ten  miles 
to  windward  of  the  island.  The  ship's  masts  were 
his  beacon,  for  the  crater  had  sank  below  the  horizon, 
or,  if  visible  at  all,  it  was  only  at  intervals,  as  the  boat 
was  lifted  on  a  swell,  when  it  appeared  a  low  huni- 
muck,  nearly  awash.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  the 
naked  Spars  eoiild  be  seen  at  that  distance;  nor  could 
they  be,  except  at  moments,  and  that  because  the  com- 


33G  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

pass  told  the  young  man  exactly  where  to  look  for 
them. 

It  was  now  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and 
Mark  thought  it  prudent  to  turn  out  his  reef,  and  run 
down  for  the  crater.  In  half  an  hour  he  caught  a 
sight  of  the  spars  of  the  ship ;  and  ten  minutes  later 
the  Summit  appeared  above  the  horizon. 

It  had  been  the  intention  of  our  young  sailor  to 
stay  out  all  night,  had  the  weather  been  promising. 
His  wish  was  to  ascertain  how  he  might  manage  the 
boat,  single-handed,  while  he  slept,  and  also  to  learn 
the  extent  of  the  shoals.  The  weather,  however,  on 
this  his  first  experiment,  did  not  encourage  him  to 
remain  out  the  whole  night.  On  the  contrary,  by  the 
time  the  crater  was  hi  sight,  Mark  thought  he  had  not 
seen  a  more  portentous-looking  sky  since  he  had  been 
on  the  reef.  There  was  a  fiery  redness  in  the  at- 
mosphere that  alarmed  him,  and  he  would  have  re- 
joiced to  be  at  home,  in  order  to  secure  his  stock 
within  the  crater.  From  the  appearances,  he  antici- 
pated another  tempest  with  its  flood. 

Jnst  as  the  Bridget  was  passing  the  two  buoys  by 
which  the  ship-channel  had  been  marked,  her  sail  flap- 
ped. This  was  a  bad  omen,  for  it  betokened  a  shift 
of  wind,  and  the  precursor  of  some  sort  of  a  storm. 
Birds,  moreover,  seemed  uneasy,  the  air  being  filled 
with  them,  thousands  flying  over  the  boat,  around 
which  they  wheeled,  screaming  and  apparently  terri- 
fied. The  sun  went  down  in  a  bank  of  lurid  fire,  and 
the  Bridget  was  still  a  mile  from  the  ship.  About  nine 
o'clock,  and  not  sooner,  the  boat  was  well  secured,  and 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  337 

Mark  went  into  his  cabin.     Tired  with  his  clay's  work, 
he  got  into  his  berth  and  endeavored  to  sleep. 

The  fatigue  of  the  day  acted  as  an  anodyne,  and 
our  young  man  soon  forgot  his  adventures  and  his 
boat  in  profound  slumbers.  It  was  many  hours  ere 
Mark  awoke,  and  when  he  did,  it  was  with  a  sense  of 
suffocation.  At  first  he  thought  the  ship  had  taken 
fire,  a  lurid  light  gleaming  in  at  the  open  door  of  the 
cabin,  and  he  sprang  to  his  feet  in  recollection  of  the 
danger  he  ran  from  the  magazine,  as  well  as  from 
being  burned.  But  no  cracking  of  flames  rcachiner 
his  ears,  he  dressed  hastily  and  Avent  out  on  the  poop. 
He  had  just  reached  this  deck,  when  he  felt  the  whole 
ship  tremble  from  her  truck  to  her  keel,  and  a  rushing 
of  water  was  heard  on  all  sides  of  him,  as  if  a  flood 
were  corning.  Hissing  sounds  were  heard,  and  streams 
of  fire  and  gleams  of  lurid  light  were  seen  in  the  air. 
It  was  a  terrible  moment,  and  one  that  might  well  in- 
duce any  man  to  imagine  that  time  was  drawing  to  its 
Close. 

.Mark  Woolston  now  comprehended  his  situation 
notwithstanding  the  mtense  darkness  which  prevailed, 
except  in  those  brief  intervals  of  lurid  light.     He  had 

felt   the  shock  of  an  earthquake,  and  the  volcano   had 

suddenly  become  active.     Smoke  and  ashes  certainly 

filled  the  air,  and  our  poor  hermit  instinctively  looked 
lowanl  his    crater,  already  SO    verdant    and    lively,  in 

th,-  expectation  of  seeing  it  vomit  flames.  Every- 
thing there  was  tranquil  ;  the  danger,  if  danger  there 
was,  wa.s    assuredly    more   remote.      Bui    the    murky 

vapor,  which  rendered  breathing  exceedingly  difficult, 

-'2 


33S  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 


also  obstructed  the  view,  and  prevented  his  seeing 
where  the  explosion  really  was.  For  a  brief  space 
our  young  man  fancied  he  must  certainly  be  suffocated; 
but  a  shift  of  wind  came,  and  blew  away  the  oppres- 
sive vapor,  clearing  the  atmosphere  of  its  sulphurous 
and  most  offensive  gases  and  odors. 

The  light  was  now  most  impatiently  expected  by 
our  young  man.  The  minutes  seemed  to  drag  ;  but, 
at  length,  the  usual  signs  of  returning  day  became  ap- 
parent to  him,  and  he  got  on  the  bowsprit  of  the  ship, 
as  if  to  meet  it  in  its  approach.  There  he  stood  look- 
ing to  the  eastward,  eager  to  have  ray  after  ray  shoot 
into  the  firmament,  when  he  was  suddenly  struck  with 
a  change  in  that  quarter  of  the  ocean,  which  at  once 
proclaimed  the  power  of  the  effort  which  the  earth 
had  made  in  its  subterranean  throes.  Naked  rocks 
appeared  in  places  where  Mark  was  certain  water  in 
abundance  had  existed  a  few  hours  before.  The  sea- 
wall, directly  ahead  of  the  ship,  and  which  never 
showed  itself  above  the  surface  more  than  two  or 
three  inches,  in  any  part  of  it,  and  that  only  at  ex- 
ceedingly neap  tides,  was  now  not  only  bare  for  a  long 
distance,  but  parts  rose  ten  and  fifteen  feet  above  the 
surrounding  sea.  This  proved,  at  once,  that  the  earth- 
quake had  thrust  upward  a  vast  surface  of  the  reef, 
completely  altering  the  whole  appearance  of  the  shoal  I 
In  a  word,  nature  had  made  another  effort,  and  islands 
had  been  created,  as  it  might  be  in  the  twinkling  oi 
an  eye. 

Mark  was  no  sooner  assured  of  this  stupendous 
fact,  than  he  hurried  on  to  the  poop,  in  order  to  as- 


STOEIES   OF   THE   SEA.  339 

certain  what  changes  had  occurred  in  and  about  the 
crater.  It  had  been  pushed  upward,  in  common  with 
all  the  rocks  for  miles  on  every  side  of  it,  though  with- 
out  disturbing  its  surface!  By  the  computation  of 
our  young  man,  the  reef,  which  previously  lay  about 
six  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean,  was  now  fully 
twenty.  The  planks  which  led  from  the  stern  of  the 
vessel  to  the  shore,  and  which  had  formed  a  descent, 
were  now  nearly  level,  so  much  water  having  left  the 
basin  as  to  produce  this  change.  Still  the  ship  floated, 
enough  remaining  to  keep  her  keel  clear  of  the  bottom. 

Impatient  to  learn  all,  Mark  ran  ashore — for  by  this 
time  it  was  broad  daylight — and  hastened  into  the 
crater,  with  an  intention  to  ascend  at  once  to  the 
Summit.  As  he  passed  along,  he  could  detect  no 
change  whatever  on  the  surface  of  the  reef;  every- 
thing lying  just  as  it  had  been  left,  and  the  pigs  and 
poultry  were  at  their  usual  business  of  providing  for 
their  own  wants.  Ashes,  however,  were  strewn  over 
the  rocks  to  a  depth  that  left  his  footprints  as  distinct 
as  they  could  nave  been  made  in  alight  snow.  With- 
in the  crater  the  same  appearances  were  observed, 
fully  an  inch  of  ashes  covering  its  verdant  pastures 
and  the  whole  garden. 

On  reaching  the  Summit,  our  young  man  was  en- 
abled to  form  a  better  opinion  ,,\'  the  vast  changes 
which  had  been  wrought  around  him  by  this  sudden 
elevation  of  the  earth's  crust.  Everywhere  sea  seemed 
to  be  converted  into  land,  or,  at  least,  into  rock.  All 
the  white  water  had  disappeared,  and  in  its  place 
arose  islands  of  rock,  or  mud,  or  sand.     A  good  deal  of 


310  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

the  last  was  to  be  seen,  and  some  quite  near  the  reef. 
Island  it  could  now  hardly  be  termed.  It  is  true  that 
ribands  of  water  approached  it  on  all  sides,  resembling 
creeks  and  rivers  and  small  sounds ;  but,  as  Mark 
stood  there  on  the  Summit,  it  seemed  to  him  that  it 
was  now  possible  to  walk  for  leagues  in  every  direc- 
tion, commencing  at  the  crater  and  following  the  lines 
of  reefs,  and  rocks,  and  sands,  that  had  been  laid  bare 
by  the  late  upheaving.  It  certainly  made  an  immense 
difference  in  his  own  situation.  The  boat  could  still 
be  used,  but  it  was  now  possible  for  him  to  ramble 
for  hours,  if  not  for  days,  along  the  necks,  and  banks, 
and  hummocks,  and  swales  that  had  been  formed,  and 
that  with  a  dry  foot.  His  limits  were  so  much  en- 
larged as  to  offer  something  like  a  new  world  to  lus 
enterprise  and  curiosity. 

The  crater,  nevertheless,  was  apparently  about  the 
centre  of  this  new  creation.  To  the  south,  it  is  true, 
the  eye  could  not  penetrate  more  than  two  or  three 
leagues.  A  vast  dun-looking  cloud  still  covered  the 
sea  in  that  direction,  veiling  its  surface  far  and  wide, 
and  mingling  with  the  vapors  of  the  upper  atmos- 
phere. Somewhere  within  this  cloud,  how  far  or  how 
near  from  him  he  knew  not,  Mark  made  no  doubt  a 
new  outlet  to  the  pent  up  forces  of  the  inner  earth 
was  to  be  found,  forming  another  and  an  active  crater 
for  the  exit  of  the  fires  beneath. 

Mark  now  provided  himself  with  a  fowling-piece, 
provisions,  &c,  and  set  out  to  explore  his  newly  ac- 
quired territories  on  foot.  His  steps  were  first  di- 
rected to  the  point  where  it  appeared  to  the  eye  that 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  341 

the  vast  range  of  dry  land  to  the  westward,  extend- 
ing both  north  and  south,  had  become  connected  with 
the  reef.  If  such  connection  existed  at  all,  it  was  by- 
two  very  narrow  necks  of  rock,  of  equal  height,  both 
of  which  had  come  up  out  of  the  water  under  the  late 
action,  which  action  had  considerably  altered  and  ex- 
tended the  shores  of  Crater  Island.  Sand  appeared 
in  various  places  along  these  shores  now ;  whereas, 
previously  to  the  earthquake,  they  had  everywhere 
been  nearly  perpendicular  rocks. 

Mark  was  walking,  with  an  impatient  step,  toward 
the  neck  just  mentioned,  and  which  was  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  ship-yard,  when  his  eye  was  attracted 
toward  a  sandy  beach  of  several  acres  in  extent,  that 
spread  itself  along  the  margin  of  the  rocks,  as  clear 
from  every  impurity  as  it  was  a  few  hours  before,  when 
it  had  been  raised  from  out  the  bosom  of  the  ocean. 
To  him  it  appeared  that  water  was  trickling  through 

sand,  coming  from  beneath  the  lava  <>1'  the  reef. 
Scooping  up  a  little  water  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand, 
he  found   it    sweet,  soft,  and  deliciously  cool.     Here 

a  discovery  indeed!  The  physical  comfort  for 
which  In-  most  pined  was  thus  presented  to  him,  as 
by  a  direct  gifl  from  heaven;  and  no  miser  who  had 
found  a  hoard  of  hidden  gold  could  have  felt  so  ffreal 

pleasure,  or  a  tenth  pari  of  the  gratitude,  of  our  young 
hermit. 

Before  quitting  this  new-found  treasure,  Mark  open- 
ed a  cavity  in  the  sand  to  receive  the  water,  placing 
Stone  around  it  to  make  it  a  convenient  and  clean  little 
basin.      In  ten  minutes  (his  place  was  filled  with  water 


34:2  STORIES    OF   TIIE    SEA. 

almost  as  limpid  as  air,  and  every  way  as  delicious  as 
the  palate  of  man  could  require.  The  young  man 
could  scarce  tear  himself  away  from  the  spot,  but 
fearful  of  drinking  too  much,  he  did  so  after  a  time. 

Mark  proceeded.  On  reaching  the  narrowest  part 
of  the  "Neck,"  he  found  that  the  rocks  did  not  meet, 
but  the  reef  still  remained  an  island.  The  young  man 
found  it  necessary  to  go  back  to  the  ship-yard  (no 
great  distance,  by  the  way),  and  to  bring  a  plank 
with  which  to  make  a  bridge.  This  done,  he  passed 
on  to  the  newly  emerged  territory.  As  might  have 
been  expected,  the  rocks  were  tolerably  well  furnished 
with  fish,  which  had  got  caught  in  pools  and  crevices 
when  the  water  flowed  into  the  sea;  and,  what  was 
of  still  more  importance,  another  and  much  larger 
spring  of  fresh  water  was  found  quite  near  the  bridge, 
gushing  through  a  deposit  of  sand  of  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  acres  in  extent.  The  water  of  this  spring  had 
run  down  into  a  cavity,  where  it  had  already  formed 
a  little  lake  of  some  two  acres  in  surface,  and  whence 
it  was  already  running  into  the  sea,  by  overfloAving 
its  banks.  These  two  discoveries  induced  Mark  to 
return  to  the  reef  again,  in  quest  of  the  stock.  After 
laying  another  plank  at  his  bridge,  he  called  every 
creature  he  had  over  into  the  new  territory. 

Glad  enough  were  the  pigs,  in  particular,  to  obtain 
this  new  range.  Here  was  every  thing  they  could 
want ;  food  in  thousands,  sand  to  root  on,  fresh  water 
to  drink,  pools  to  wallow  in,  and  a  range  for  their 
migratory  propensities.  Mark  had  no  sooner  set 
them  at  work  on  the   sea-weed  and  shell-fish  that 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  343 

abounded  there,  for  the  time  being  at  least,  than  he 
determined  to  erect  a  gate  at  his  bridge,  and  keep  the 
hogs  here  most  of  the  time,  the  number  of  which 
was  now  much  increased. 

Mark  now  set  out  in  earnest  on  his  travels.  He 
was  absent  from  the  reef  the  entire  day.  At  one 
time  he  thought  he  was  quite  two  leagues  in  a 
Straight  line  from  the  ship,  though  he  had  been 
compelled  to  walk  four  to  get  there.  He  kept  along 
the  margin  of  the  channel  that  communicated  with 
the  water  that  surrounded  the  reef,  and,  when  at  the 
greatest  distance  from  the  crater,  lie  ascended  a  rock 
that  must  have  had  an  elevation  of  a  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea.  Of  course  most  of  this  rock  had  been 
above  water  previously  to  the  late  eruption,  and  Mark 
had  often  seen  it  at  a  distance,  though  he  had  never 
ventured  through  the  white  water  near  so  fir  in  the 
dingui.  When  on  its  apex,  Mark  got  an  extensive 
view  of  the  seem;  around  him. 

Toward  the  southward  Mark  found  the  objects  of 
his  greatest  wonder  and  admiration.  By  the  time  he 
reached  the  apes  of  the  rock  the  smoke  in  that  quar- 
ter  of  the  horizon  had,  in  a  great  measure,  risen  from 
the  sea,  though  a  column  of  it  continued  to  ascend 
toward  a  vast  duu-colored  cloud  that  overhung  the 
place.  To  .Mark's  astonishment  he  had  seen  some 
dark,  dense  body  first  looming  through  the  rising 
vapor.  When  the  last  was  sufficiently  removed,  a 
high,  ragged  mountain  became  distinctly  visible.  II-- 
thoughl  it  arose  at  least,  a  thousand  fed  above  the 
ocean,  ami  that    it   could  not  be  less  than  a  League  in 


344  stokies  or  the  sea. 

extent.  This  exhibition  of  the  power  of  nature  filled 
the  young  man's  soul  with  adoration  and  reverence 
for  the  mighty  Being  that  could  set  such  elements  at 
work. 

Mark  knew  that  there  must  have  been  a  dislocation 
of  the  rocks,  to  produce  such  a  change  as  that  he  saw 
to  the  southward.  It  was  well  for  him  it  occurred 
there  at  a  distance,  as  he  then  thought,  of  ten  or  fif- 
teen miles  from  the  reef — though  in  truth  it  was  quite 
fifty — instead  of  happening  beneath  him.  It  was  pos- 
sible, however,  for  one  to  have  been  on  the  top  of 
that  mountain,  and  to  have  lived  through  the  late 
change,  could  the  lungs  of  man  have  breathed  the  at- 
mosphere. Not  far  from  this  mountain  a  column  of 
smoke  rose  out  of  the  sea,  and  Mark  fancied  that,  at 
moments,  he  could  discern  the  summit  of  an  active 
crater  at  its  base. 

After  gazing  at  these  astonishing  changes  for  a  long 
time,  our  young  man  descended  from  the  height  and 
retraced  his  steps  homeward. 

For  the  next  ten  days  Mark  Woolston  did  little 
but  explore.  By  crossing  the  channel  around  the 
reef,  which  he  had  named  "Armlet,"  he  reached  the 
sea-wall,  and,  once  there,  he  made  a  long  excursion  to 
the  eastward.  He  now  walked  dryshod  over  those 
very  reefs  among  which  he  had  so  recently  sailed  in 
the  Bridget,  though  the  ship  channel  through  which 
he  and  Bob  had  brought  in  the  Rancocus  still  re- 
mained. The  two  buoys  that  had  marked  the  nar- 
row passage  were  found,  high  and  dry ;  and  the 
anchor  of  the  ship,  that  by  which  she  rode  after 


STOKIES    OF   TIIE    SEA.  34:5 

beating  over  the  rocks  into  deep  water,  was  to  be 
seen  so  near  the  surface  that  the  stock  could  be 
reached  by  the  hand. 

For  two  days  Mark  explored  in  this  direction, 
reaching  as  far,  by  his  estimate  of  the  distance,  as 
the  place  where  he  had  bore  up  in  his  cruise  in  the 
Bridget.  Finding  a  great  many  obstacles  in  the  way, 
channels,  mud,  &c,  he  determined,  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  second  day,  to  return  home,  get  a  stock  of 
supplies,  and  come  out  in  the  boat,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain if  he  could  not  now  reach  the  open  water  to 
windward. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  after  the  earth- 
quake, and  the  occurrence  of  the  mighty  change  that 
had  altered  the  whole  face  of  the  scene  around  him, 
the  young  man  got  under  way  in  the  Bridget.  He 
shaped  his  course  to  windward,  beating  out  of  the 
Armlet  by  a  narrow  passage  that  carried  him  into  a 
reach  that  stretched  away  for  several  miles,  to  the 
the  northward  and  eastward,  in  nearly  a  straight 
line. 

When  about  three  leagues  from  the  crater,  the 
"Hope  Channel,"  as  Mark  named  this  long  and  direct 
passage,  divided  into  two,  and  Mark  tacked  into  one 
of  them,  heading  about  north-east.  The  water  was 
deep,  and  al  first  the  passage  was  half  a  mile  in  width; 
but, after  standing  along  it  fora  mile  or  two,  it  seemed 
all  at  once  to  terminate  in  an  oval  basin,  that  might 
have  been  a  mile  in  its  largesl  diameter,  and  which 
av : i ^  bounded  to  the  eastward  by  a  bell  of  rock  that 
rose   some   twenty  feet  above    the  water.      The  hot- 


346  STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

torn  of  this  basin  was  a  clear  beautiful  sand,  and 
its  depth  of  water,  on  sounding,  Mark  found  was  uni- 
formly about  eight  fathoms. 

Mark  had  beaten  about  "  Oval  Harbor,"  as  he 
named  the  place,  for  half  an  hour,  before  he  was  struck 
by  the  circumstance  that  the  even  character  of  its 
surface  appeared  to  be  a  little  disturbed  by  a  slight 
undulation  which  seemed  to  come  from  its  north-east- 
ern extremity.  Tacking  the  Bridget,  he  stood  in  that 
direction,  and  on  reaching  the  place,  found  that  there 
was  a  passage  through  the  rock  of  about  a  hundred 
yards  in  width.  The  wind  permitting,  the  boat  shot 
through  this  passage,  and  was  immediately  heaving 
and  setting  in  the  long  swells  of  the  open  ocean.  At 
first  Mark  was  startled  by  the  roar  of  the  waves  that 
plunged  into  the  caverns  of  the  rocks,  and  trembled 
lest  his  boat  might  be  hove  up  against  that  hard  and 
iron-bound  coast,  where  one  toss  would  shatter  his 
little  craft  into  splinters.  Too  steady  a  seaman,  how- 
ever, to  abandon  his  object  unnecessarily,  he  stood  on. 
After  two  or  three  short  stretches  were  made,  Mark 
found  himself  half  a  mile  to  windward  of  a  long  line, 
or  coast,  of  dark  rock,  that  rose  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water,  and  be- 
yond all  question  in  the  open  ocean.  Everywhere  to 
leeward  of  him  was  land,  or  rock  ;  while  everywhere 
to  windward,  as  well  as  ahead  and  astern,  it  was  clear 
water.  This,  then,  was  the  eastern  limit  of  the  old 
shoals,  now  converted  into  dry  land. 

The  young  man  might  have  been  an  hour  in  the 
open  sea,  gradually  hauling  off  the  land,  in  order  to 


STOEIES    OF    THE    SEA.  347 

keep  clear  of  the  coast,  when  he  bethought  him  of 
returning.  It  required  a  good  deal  of  nerve  to  run 
iu  toward  those  rocks,  under  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  case.  The  wind  blew  fresh,  so  much,  indeed,  as  to 
induce  Mark  to  reef,  but  there  must  always  be  a  heavy 
swell  rolling  in  upon  that  iron-bound  shore.  Of  course, 
the  spray  was  flying  high,  and  the  entire  line  of  black 
rocks  was  white  with  its  particles. 

Mark  had  unwittingly  omitted  to  take  any  laud- 
marks  to  his  inlet,  or  strait.  He  had  no  other  means 
of  finding  it,  therefore,  than  to  discover  a  spot  in 
which  the  line  of  white  was  broken.  This  inlet,  how- 
ever, he  remembered  did  not  open  at  right  angles  to 
the  coast,  but  obliquely ;  and  it  was  very  possible  to 
be  within  a  hundred  yards  of  it,  and  not  see  it.  This 
tact  our  young  sailor  was  not  long  in  ascertaining;  for, 
standing  in  toward  the  point  where  he  expected  to 
find  the  entrance,  and  going  as  close  to  the  shore  as 
he  dared,  he  could  see  nothing  of  the  desired  passage. 
For  an  hour  did  he  search,  passing  to  and  fro,  but 
without  success. 

For  lour  hours  did  Mark "Woolston  run  along  those 
dark  rocks,  whitened  only  by  the  spray  of  the  wide 
ocean,  without  perceiving  a  point  at  which  a  boat 
mighl  even  land.  Hut  just  as  the  sun  was  setting, 
](  iving  the  evening  cool  and  pleasant,  after  the 
Warmth  of  an  exceedingly  hot  day,  the  boat  doubled 
a  piece  of  low  headland  ;  and  Mark  had  hall*  made  up 
his  mind  to  gel  under  its  lee,  and  heave  a  grapnel 
ashore,  in  order  to  ride  by  his  cable  during  the  ap- 
proaching night,  when  an  opening  in  the  coast  greeted 


348  ,    STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

his  eyes.  It  was  just  as  he  doubled  the  cape.  This 
opening  appeared  to  be  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width, 
and  it  had  perfectly  smooth  water  a  half-gunshot 
within  its  mouth.  For  twenty  minutes  did  Mark 
stand  on  through  this  passage,  when  suddenly  it  ex- 
panded into  a  basin,  or  bay,  of  considerable  extent. 
This  bay  was  a  league  long,  and  half  a  league  in 
width,  the  boat  entering  it  close  to  its  weather  side. 
A  long  and  wide  sandy  beach  offered  on  that  side, 
and  the  young  man  stood  along  it  a  short  distance, 
until  the  sight  of  a  spring  induced  him  to  put  his 
helm  down.  The  boat  luffed  short  round,  and  came 
gently  upon  the  beach.  A  grapnel  was  thrown  on 
the  sands,  and  Mark  leaped  ashore. 

The  water  proved  to  be  sweet,  cool,  and  everyway 
delicious.  This  new-born  beach  had  every  appearance 
of  having  been  exposed  to  the  air  a  thousand  years. 
The  sand  was  perfectly  clean,  and  of  a  bright  golden 
color,  and  it  was  well  strewed  with  shells  of  the 
most  magnificent  colors  and  size.  Our  sailor  de- 
termined to  make  another  voyage  to  this  bay,  which 
he  called  Shell  Bay,  in  order  to  procure  some  of  its 
treasures.  After  drinking  at  the  spring,  and  supping 
on  the  rocks  above,  Mark  arranged  a  mattress,  pro- 
vided for  that  purpose,  in  the  boat,  and  went  to 
sleep. 

Early  next  morning  the  Bridget  was  again  under 
way,  but  not  until  her  owner  had  both  bathed  and 
broken  his  fast.  After  crossing  Shell  Bay,  the  Bridget 
continued  on  for  a  couple  of  hours,  running  south- 
westerly, through  a  passage  of  a  good  width,  until  it 


BTOKIES    OF    THE    SEA.  340 

met  another  channel,  at  a  point  which  Mark  at  once 
recognized,  and  had  only  to  follow  in  order  to  arrive 
at  the  reef.  About  ten  o'clock  he  ran  alongside  of 
the  ship,  where  he  found  everything  as  he  had  left  it. 
Lighting  the  fire,  he  put  on  food  sufficient  to  last  him 
for  another  cruise,  and  then  went  up  into  the  cross- 
trees  in  order  to  take  a  better  look  than  he  had  yet 
obtained  of  the  state  of  things  to  the  southward. 

By  this  time  the  vast  murky  cloud  that  had  so  long 
overhung  the  new  outlet  of  the  volcano  was  dispersed. 
Of  course,  the  surrounding  atmosphere  was  clear,  and 
nothing  but  distance  obstructed  the  view.  The  Peak 
was  indeed  a  sublime  sight,  issuing,  as  it  did,  from  the 
ocean  without  any  relief.  There  it  was,  in  all  its 
glory,  blue  and  misty,  but  ragged  and  noble.  The 
crater  was  clearly  many  miles  beyond  it,  the  young 
man  being  satisfied,  after  this  look,  that  he  had  not  yet 
seen  its  summit.  He  also  increased  his  distance  from 
Vulcan's  Peak,  as  he  named  the  mountain,  to  ten 
leagues,  at  least.  After  sitting  in  the  cross-trees  for 
fully  an  hour,  gazing  at  this  height  with  as  much  pleas- 
ure as  the  connoisseur  ever  studied  picture,  or  statue, 
th<  young  man  determined  to  attempt  a  voyage  to 
that  place  in  the  Bridget. 

That  afternoon  Mark  made  all  his  preparations  for 
a  voyage  that  he  tilt  might  lie  one  of  great  moment 
to  him.  So  much  did  hi-  think  of  the  morrow  and  its 
possible  consequences,  that  he  did  not  get  asleep  tin- 
two  or  three  hours,  though  he  awoke  in  the  morning 
Unconscious  of  any  want  of  rot.  An  hour  later,  he 
was  in  hi.^  boat,  and  under  way. 


350  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

The  course  steered  was  about  a  point  to  the  west- 
ward of  south,  the  boat  running  altogether  by  com- 
pass, for  the  first  two  hours.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  objects  began  to  come  out  of  the  mass  of  the 
mountain,  which  no  longer  appeared  a  pile  of  dark 
outline,  without  detail.  He  expected  this,  and  was 
even  disappointed  that  his  eyes  could  not  command 
more,  for  he  now  saw  that  he  had  materially  under- 
rated the  distance  between  the  crater  and  the  Peak, 
which  must  be  nearer  sixty  than  fifty  miles. 

From  that  moment  eveiy  mile  made  a  sensible  dif- 
ference in  the  face  of  the  mountain.  Light  and 
shadow  first  became  visible ;  then  ravines,  cliffs,  and 
colors  came  into  the  view.  Each  league  that  he 
advanced  increased  Mark's  admiration  and  awe  ;  and, 
by  the  time  that  the  boat  was  on  the  last  of  those 
leagues  which  had  appeared  so  long,  he  began  to  have 
a  more  accurate  idea  of  the  sublime  nature  of  the 
phenomenon  that  had  been  wrought  so  near  him. 
Vulcan's  Peak,  as  an  island,  could  not  be  less  than 
eight  or  nine  miles  in  length,  though  its  breadth  did 
not  much  exceed  two.  Running  north  and  south,  it 
offered  its  narrow  side  to  the  group  of  the  crater, 
which  had  deceived  its  solitary  observer. 

The  wind  had  been  fresh  in  crossing  the  strait,  and 
Mark  was  not  sorry  Avhen  his  pigmy  boat  came  under 
the  shadow  of  the  vast  cliffs  which  formed  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  the  peak.  When  still  a  mile  distant, 
he  thought  he  was  close  on  the  rocks;  nor  did  he  get 
a  perfectly  true  idea  of  the  scale  on  which  this  rare 
mountain  had  been  formed  until  running  along  at  its 


STORIES    OF    THE    SEA.  351 

base,  within  a  hundred  yards  of  its  rocks.  Coming 
in  to  leeward,  as  a  matter  of  course,  Mark  found  com- 
paratively smooth  water,  though  the  unceasing  heav- 
ing and  setting  of  the  ocean  rendered  it  a  little 
hazardous  to  go  nearer  to  the  shore.  For  some  time 
our  explorer  was  fearful  he  should  not  be  able  to  land 
at  all,  when  an  opening  appeared  between  two  cliffs 
of  about  equal  height,  or  some  hundred  feet  in  eleva- 
tion, one  of  which  extended  farther  into  the  ocean 
than  its  neighbor.  The  water  being  quite  smooth  in 
this  inlet,  Mark  ventured  to  enter  it.  On  passing 
this  gateway,  he  found  himself  nearly  becalmed,  in  a 
basin  that  might  be  a  hundred  yards  in  diameter, 
which  was  not  only  surrounded  by  a  sandy  beach, 
but  which  had  also  a  sandy  bottom.  The  water  was 
several  fathoms  dee}),  and  it  was  very  easy  to  run  the 
bows  of  the  boat  anywhere  on  the  beach.  This  was 
done,  and  Mark  sprang  ashore. 

Not  only  did  a  ravine  open  from  this  basin,  winding 
it>  way  up  the  entire  ascent,  but  a  copious  stream  of 
water  ran  through  it,  foaming  and  roaring  amid  its 
ulcus.  At  first,  -Mark  supposed  this  was  sea-water, 
still  finding  its  way  from  some  lake  on  the  peak;  hut, 
on  tasting  it,  he  found  it  was  perfectly  sweet.  Pro- 
vided willi  his  gun,  and  carrying  his  pack,  our  young 
man  entered  this  ravine,  and,  following  the  course  of 
the  brook,  lie  a!  once  commenced  an  ascent. 

\  dt  w  ithstanding  his  great  activity,  Mark  Woolston 
was  just  an  hour  in  ascending  to  the  peak.  In  no 
place  had  lie  found  the  path  difficult,  though  almost 
always  upward;  but  he  believed  he  had  walked  more 


352  STORIES   OF   THE    SEA. 

than  two  miles  before  he  came  out  on  level  ground. 
When  he  had  got  up  about  three-fourths  of  the  way, 
the  appearances  of  things  around  him  suddenly 
changed.  Although  the  rock  itself  looked  no  older 
than  that  below,  it  had,  occasionally,  a  covering  that 
clearly  could  never  have  emerged  from  the  sea  within 
the  last  few  days.  From  that  point  every  thing  de- 
noted an  older  existence  in  the  air,  from  which  our 
young  man  inferred  that  the  summit  of  Vulcan's  Peak 
had  been  an  island  long  prior  to  the  late  eruption. 
Every  foot  he  advanced  confirmed  this  opinion,  and 
the  conclusion  was  that  the  ancient  island  had  lain 
too  low  to  be  visible  to  one  on  the  reef. 

An  exclamation  of  delight  escaped  from  our  ex- 
plorer, as  he  suddenly  came  out  on  the  broken  plain 
of  the  peak.  It  was  not  absolutely  covered,  but  was 
richly  garnished  with  wood,  cocoa-nut,  bread-fruits, 
and  other  tropical  trees ;  and  it  was  delightfully  ver- 
dant with  young  grasses.  The  warmth  in  the  sun, 
after  so  sharp  a  walk,  caused  the  young  man  to 
plunge  into  the  nearest  grove,  where  he  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  helping  himself  to  as  many  cocoa-nuts,  fresh 
from  the  trees,  as  a  thousand  men  could  have  con- 
sumed. 

After  resting  himself  for  an  hour  in  that  delicious 
grove,  Mark  began  to  roam  around  the  plain,  to  get 
an  idea  of  its  beauties  and  extent.  The  former  were 
inexhaustible,  offering  every  variety  of  landscape, 
from  the  bold  and  magnificent  to  the  soft  and  be- 
witching. There  were  birds  innumerable,  of  the 
most  brilliant  plumage,  and  some  that  Mark  imagined 


STOEIES   OF   THE   SEA.  353 

must  be  good  to  eat.  In  particular  did  he  observe 
an  immense  number  of  a  very  small  sort  that  were 
constantly  pecking  at  a  wild  fig,  of  which  there  was 
a  grove  of  considerable  extent.  Being  provided  with 
mustard-seed  shot,  Mark  loaded  his  piece  properly, 
an. I  killed  at  least  twenty  of  these  little  creatures  at 
one  discharge.  After  cleaning  them,  he  struck  a 
light  by  me. ms  of  the  pan  and  some  powder,  and 
kindled  a  fire.  Spitting  half-a-dozen  of  the  birds, 
they  were  soon  roasted.  At  the  same  time  he  roasted 
a  bunch  of  plantain,  and,  being  provided  with  pepper 
and  salt  in  his  pack,  as  well  as  with  some  pilot-bread, 
Ave  are  almost  ashamed  to  relate  how  our  young  ex- 
plorer dined.  Nothing  was  wanting  to  such  a  meal 
but  the  sweets  of  social  converse. 

The  peak,  or  highest  part  of  the  island,  was  at  its 
northern  extremity,  and  within  two  miles  of  the 
grove  in  which  Mark  had  eaten  his  dinner.  Unlike 
most  of  the  plain,  it  had  do  woods  whatever,  but, 
rising  somewhat  abruptly  to  a  considerable  elevation, 
it  was  naked  of  vwvy  thing  lmt  grass.  Resuming 
his  pack,  our  young  adventurer,  greatly  refreshed  by 
the  delicious  repast  he  had  just  made,  left  the  pleas- 
ant grove  in  which  he  had  firsl  rested,  to  undertake 
this  somewhat  sharp  acclivity. 

Here,  Mark  found  all  his  expectations  realized, 
touching  the  character  of  the  view.  The  whole  plain 
of  the  island,  with  the  exception  of  the  covers  made 
by  intervening  woods,  lay  spread  before  him  like  a 
map.  All  its  beauties,  its  shades,  its  fruits,  and  its 
verdant  glades  were  placed  beneath  his  eye,  as  If 
23 


354  STORIES   OF   THE   SEA. 

purposely  to  delight  him  with  their  glories.  A  more 
enchanting  rural  scene  the  young  man  had  never  be- 
held, the  island  having  so  much  the  air  of  cultivation 
and  art  about  it,  that  he  expected,  at  each  instant,  to 
see  bodies  of  men  running  across  its  surface.  He 
carried  the  best  glass  of  the  Rancocus  with  him,  in 
all  his  excursions,  not  knowing  at  what  moment 
Providence  might  bring  a  vessel  in  sight,  and  he  had 
it  now  sluno-  from  his  shoulders. 

It  will  readily  be  imagined  that  our  young  man 
turned  his  glass  to  the  northward,  in  search  of  the 
group  he  had  left  that  morning,  with  a  most  lively 
interest.  It  was  easy  enough  to  see  it  from  the  great 
elevation  at  which  he  was  now  placed. 

When  he  had  taken  a  good  look  at  his  old  posses- 
sions, Mark  made  a  sweep  of  the  horizon  with  the 
glass,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  any  other  land  were 
visible  from  the  great  elevation  on  which  he  now 
stood.  While  arranging  the  focus  of  the  instrument, 
an  object  first  met  his  eye  that  caused  his  heart 
almost  to  leap  into  his  mouth.  Land  was  looming 
up,  in  the  western  board,  bo  distinctly  as  to  admit  of 
no  cavil  about  its  presence.  It  was  an  island,  moun- 
tainous, and  Mark  supposed  it  must  be  fully  a  hun- 
dred miles  distant.  Still  it  was  land,  and  strange 
land,  and  might  prove  to  be  the  abode  of  human 
beings.  The  glass  told  him  very  little  more  than,  his 
eye,  though  he  could  discern  a  mountainous  form 
through  it,  and  saw  that  it  was  an  island  of  no  great 
size.  Beyond  this  mountain,  again,  the  young  man 
fancied  that  he  could  detect  the  haze  of  more  land ; 


STOKIES    OF    TIIE    SEA.  355 

but,  if  he  did,  it  was  too  low,  too  distant,  and  too 
indistinct  to  be  certain  of  it.  It  is  not  easy  to  give 
a  clear  idea  of  the  tumult  of  feeling  with  which  Mark 
Woolston  beheld  these  unknown  regions,  though  it 
might  best  he  compared  with  the  emotions  of  the 
ast  ronomer  who  discovers  a  new  planet.  It  was  fully 
an  hour  before  our  hermit  could  turn  his  eyes  in  any 
other  direction. 

And  when  our  young  mariner  did  look  aside,  it 
was  more  with  the  intention  of  relieving  eyes  that 
had  grown  dim  with  gazing,  than  of  not  returning  to 
the  same  objects  again,  as  soon  as  restored  to  their 
power.  It  was  while  walking  to  and  fro  on  the  peak, 
with  this  intent,  that  a  new  subject  of  interest  caused 
him  almost  to  leap  into  the  air,  and  to  shout  aloud. 
lie  saw  a  sail!  For  the  first  time  since  BettS  disap- 
peared from  his  anxious  looks,  his  eyes  now  surely 
rested  on  a  vessel.  What  was  more,  it  was  quite 
near  the  island  he  was  on.  It  was  a  vessel,  under 
more  or  less  canvas — how  much  he  could  not  then  tell, 
or  even  see  —but  it  was  most  decidedly  a  vessel. 
Mark's  limbs  trembled  so  much  that  he  was  com- 
pelled to  throw  himself  upon  the  earth  to  find  the 
support  he  wanted.  There  he  lay  several  minutes, 
mentally  returning  thanks  to  God  for  this  unexpected 
favor;  and,  when  his  strength  revived,  these  signs  of 
gratitude  were  renewed  on  his  knees.  Then  he  8J0  56, 
almost  in  terror  lest  the  vessel  should  have  disap- 
peared, or  it  should  turn  out  that  he  was  the  subject 
of  a  cruel  illusion. 

There  was   no  error.     There  was   the  little  white 


35 G  STOKIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

speck,  and  he  levelled  the  glass  to  get  a  better  look 
at  it.  An  exclamation  now  clearly  broke  from  his 
lips,  and  for  a  minute  or  two  the  young  man  actually 
appeared  to  be  out  of  his  senses.  "  The  pinnace  !" 
"the  Neshamony !"  however,  were  words  that  escaped 
him,  and,  had  there  been  a  witness,  might  have  given 
an  insight  into  this  extraordinary  conduct.  Mark 
had,  in  fact,  ascertained  that  the  sail  beneath  the 
peak  was  no  other  than  the  little  craft  that  had  been 
swept  away,  as  already  described,  with  Betts  in  it. 
Fourteen  months  had  elapsed  since  that  occui'rence, 
and  here  it  was  again,  seemingly  endeavoring  to  re- 
turn to  the  place  where  it  had  been  launched !  Mark 
adopted,  perhaps,  the  best  expedient  in  his  power  to 
attract  attention  to  himself,  and  to  let  his  presence 
be  known.  He  fired  both  barrels  of  his  fowling-piece, 
and  repeated  the  discharges  several  times,  or  until  a 
flag  was  shown  on  board  the  sloop,  which  was  now 
just  beneath  the  cliff — a  certain  sign  that  he  had  suc- 
ceeded. 

Our  young  man  rather  flew  than  ran  to  the  ravine, 
down  which  he  went  at  a  pace  that  several  times 
placed  his  neck  in  jeopardy.  In  less  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  the  half-distracted  hermit  was  in  the  boat, 
nearly  crazy  with  the  apprehension  that  he  might  yet 
not  meet  with  his  friend;  for,  that  it  was  Bob  looking- 
for  the  reef  and  himself,  he  did  not  now  entertain  the 
least  doubt.  The  most  plausible  course  for  him  to 
adopt  was  precisely  that  which  he  followed.  He 
pushed  oft*  in  the  Bridget,  making  sail  on  the  boat, 
and  getting  out  of  the  cove  in  the  shortest  time  he 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  357 

could.  On  quitting  his  little  haven,  and  coming  out 
clear  of  all  the  rocks,  another  shout  burst  out  of  Ins 
very  soul,  when  he  saw  the  Neshamony,  beyond  all 
cavil,  within  a  hundred  fathoms  of  him.  That  shout 
was  returned,  and  Mark  and  Bob  recognized  each 
other  at  the  next  instant.  As  for  the  last,  he  just  off 
tarpaulin,  and  gave  three  hearty  cheers,  while  the 
former  sank  on  a  seat,  literally  unable  to  stand. 

It  was  half  an  hour  before  Mark  was  master  of 
himself  again.  At  length  tears  relieved  him;  nor 
was  he  ashamed  to  indulge  in  them,  when  he  saw  his 
old  companion  not  only  alive  and  well,  but  restored 
to  him.     At  length  Bob  began  to  converse. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Mark,  the  sight  of  yon  is  the  pleasant- 
est  prospect  that  has  met  my  eyes  this  many  a  day," 
exclaimed  the  honest  fellow.  "It  was  with  fear  and 
trembling  that  I  set  out  on  the  search,  and  little  did  I 
hope  to  fall  in  with  you  so  early  in  the  cruise." 

"Thank  you,  thank  you,  Bob,  and  God  be  praised 
for  this  great  mercy  !  But  the  miraculous  part  of  all 
IS,  that  you  should  find  your  way  back,  since  you  are 
no  navigator.1' 

"Sartain — hut  I  may  as  well  tell  you  of  my  adven- 
tures at  once,  Mr.  Mark;  though  I  own  I  should  like 
to  land  first,  as  it  i-  a  long  story,  and   take  a  look  at 

this  island  that  you  praise  bo  much,  and  taste  them 

birds  of  which  yon  give  so  good  an  account." 

Hut  Mark  was  dying  to  hear  Bob's  story,  more 
especially  since  he  understood  a  ship  was  connected 
with  it;  and  Hob,  after  a  dozen  preparatory  hints,  in 
order  to  lessen  the  intensity  of  his  young  friend's  feel- 


358  STORIES    OF    THE    SEA. 

ings,  yielded  to  an  appeal  from  the  other's  eyes,  and 
commenced  his  narrative.  Bob  told  his  story,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  with  a  great  deal  of  circumlocution, 
and  in  his  own  language.  The  reader,  however,  would 
most  probably  prefer  to  hear  an  abridgment  of  the  tale 
in  our  own  words. 

When  Robert  Betts  was  driven  off  the  reef,  by  the 
hurricane  of  the  preceding  year,  he  had  no  choice  but 
to  let  the  Neshamony  drive  to  leeward  with  him.  As 
soon  as  he  could,  he  got  the  pinnace  before  the  wind, 
and,  whenever  he  saw  broken  water  ahead,  he  en- 
deavored to  steer  clear  of  it.  This  he  sometimes  suc- 
ceeded in  effecting ;  while  at  others  he  passed  through 
it,  or  over  it,  at  the  mercy  of  the  tempest.  Fortu- 
nately the  wind  had  piled  up  the  element  in  such  a 
way  as  to  carry  the  craft  clear  of  the  rocks,  and  in 
three  hours  after  the  Neshamony  was  lifted  out  of  her 
cradle  she  was  in  the  open  ocean,  to  leeward  of  all 
the  dangers.  It  blew  too  hard,  however,  to  make 
sail  on  her,  and  Bob  was  obliged  to  scud  until  the 
gale  broke.  Then,  indeed,  he  passed  a  week  in  en- 
deavoring to  beat  back  and  rejoin  his  friend,  but 
without  success,  "  losing  all  he  made  in  the  day 
while  asleep  at  night." 

At  the  end  of  this  week  high  land  was  made  to  lee- 
ward, and  Betts  ran  down  for  it,  in  the  hope  of  find- 
ing inhabitants.  In  this  last  expectation,  however, 
he  did  not  succeed.  It  was  a  volcanic  mountain,  of  a 
good  many  resources,  and  of  a  character  not  unlike 
that  of  Vulcan's  Peak,  but  entirely  unpeopled.  He 
named  it  after  his  old  ship,  and  passed  several  days 


STORIES    OF   THE    SEA.  359 

on  it.  On  describing  its  appearance,  and  its  bearings 
from  the  place  where  they  then  were,  Mark  had  no 
doubt  it  was  the  island  that  was  visible  from  the  peak 
near  them,  and  at  which  he  had  been  gazing  that  very 
afternoon,  for  fully  an  hour,  with  longing  eyes.  On 
describing  its  form  to  Bob,  the  latter  coincided  in 
this  opinion,  which  was  in  fact  the  true  one. 

From  the  highest  point  of  Rancocus  Island  land 
was  to  be  seen  to  the  northward  and  westward,  and 
Bob  now  determined  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  in 
that  direction,  in  the  hope  of  falling  in  with  some  ves- 
sel, lie  fell  in  with  a  group  of  low  islands,  of  a 
coral  formation,  about  a  hundred  leagues  from  his 
volcanic  mountain,  and  on  them  he  found  inhabitants. 
These  people  were  accustomed  to  see  white  men,  and 
tinned  out  to  be  exceedingly  mild  and  just.  Bob 
formed  a  great  intimacy  with  the  chief,  exchanging 
names  and  rubbing  noses  with  him.  This  chief  was 
styled  Betto,  after  the  exchange,  and  Bob  was  called 
Ooroony,  by  the  natives.  Ooroony  staid  a  month 
with  Betto,  when  he  undertook  a  voyage  with  him, 
in  :i  large  canoe)  to  another  group,  that  was  distant 
two  or  three  hundred  miles,  still  farther  to  the  north- 
ward, ami  where  Bob  was  told  he  should  find  a  ship. 
This  account  proved  to  be  true,  the  ship  turning  out 
t<>  lie  a  Spaniard,  from  South  America,  engaged  in 
the  pearl  fishery,  and  on  the  eve  of  sailing  for  her  port. 
BettS  decided  to  sail  in  the  brig,  which  went  to  sea 
next  day.  In  due  time  he  was  landed  at  Panama, 
whence  he  made  his  way  across  the  isthmus,  actually 


360  STORIES    OF   THE    SEA. 

reaching  Philadelphia  in  less  than  five  months  after 
he  was  driven  off  the  reef. 

The  owners  of  the  Rancocus  gave  up  their  ship,  as 
soon  as  Betts  had  told  his  story,  manifesting  no  dispo- 
sition to  send  good  money  after  bad.  Bob  next  sought 
Bridget  with  his  tale.  The  young  wife  received  the 
poor  fellow  with  floods  of  tears,  and  the  most  eager 
attention  to  his  story,  as  indeed  did  our  hero's  sister 
Anne.  The  result  of  which  was  that  Bridget,  Anne, 
several  of  their  domestics,  and  one  Martha  Waters, 
to  whom  Betts  became  united,  sailed  in  a  ship  bound 
to  the  Northwest  Coast,  in  search  of  our  hermit,  and 
found  him  in  the  manner  we  have  described.  Let  the 
reader  imagine  with  what  feelings  Mark  heard  these 
facts.  There  was  his  young  wife,  whom  he  fancied 
thousands  of  miles  away,  and  whom  he  feared  it  might 
be  his  destiny  never  to  look  upon  again,  absolutely 
within  a  hundred  miles  of  him,  and  soon  to  be  re- 
stored to  his  arms. 

We  must  bring  this  story  to  a  close.  The  reader's 
imagination  must  supply  a  description  of  Mark  and 
Bridget's  meeting,  and  of  the  happy  days  that  ensued 
when  the  little  colony  began  their  life  on  that  reef, 
which  had  so  long  been  a  hermitage  to  Mark.  In 
after  years  the  young  couple  visited  their  home; 
friends  returned  with  them  to  the  reef,  until  at  last 
a  numerous  colony  peopled  the  islands. 


THE   END. 


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